[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-book-of-strange-tales":3,"chapter-the-book-of-strange-tales-the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-80":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Book of Strange Tales",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2317360,4532,"Chapter 80: Dividing the Spoils, Returning to the Mountain (Requesting Monthly Votes)","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-80",80,"\u003Cp>Outside, the world was dark and stormy; inside the temple, a single oil lamp flickered, and thin walls and wooden doors kept out the howling snowstorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue held back, leaving the warrior a breath of life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, to be safe—even though he was gravely wounded, near death, and bound—Lin Jue searched his entire body, ensuring he carried nothing, placing all items found aside; the things his seventh senior had taken from him earlier were also placed beside them, piled into a heap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them: one long sword, one hand crossbow, six flying daggers, one blowpipe, two poison smoke cakes, a pouch of lime, and a few taels of silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These too were spoils of battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Lin Jue looked at the man and, in a daze, felt a faint resemblance to the warrior he had encountered on the mountain road over half a year ago; he finally understood why the two fearless low-ranking soldiers had failed to subdue him, why even the constables in town, wounded as they were, could not capture him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you come back for us? Is someone still pulling the strings behind you?” Lin Jue asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s there to ask…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A defeated man should have sense. Confess honestly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You cut off my livelihood—what’s the difference to someone like me, than taking my life?” the warrior replied weakly, spitting out a mouthful of saliva. “You won. Give me a quick death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That demon has already been slain, the great demon in the city eliminated. If you care for wealth, you should value your life more—go far away. Why risk coming here to kill us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Risk? Hah!” The warrior’s wounds jolted, spewing blood and foam. “Cough! Little Daoist, you’re far too arrogant. If not for the divine spirit meddling in mortal affairs and freezing me all night, even if your senior wasn’t here that day—or even if he were here tonight—I’d have killed you all in the dark!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue turned his head to look at the pile on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for the Divine Lord’s reminder, had it not been for the Divine Lord forcing him to wander outside all night, freezing his limbs stiff, he very well might have succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though only very likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the three of us weren’t particularly alert, our little fox was highly vigilant—this night’s snowstorm was simply too fierce. Had he approached the temple, he might still have been spotted. Seventh senior retrieved the hidden weapons; though the warrior was naturally skilled in combat, had we faced him in full strength, victory was not entirely impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just far more difficult, far riskier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know who the Divine Lord was that eliminated the great demon in the city?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it the Divine Lord Yi Li?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do you know whose temple this is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it Master Chen’s temple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve hidden yourself too well.” Lin Jue turned to face the temple’s statue. “Look closely now—who is enshrined here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior turned his head away but already guessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been hiding in the city all this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you see us perform our magic trick?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You came for our money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You cut off my livelihood—this is merely compensation,” the warrior said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue studied him, then suddenly smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t believe you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough… Whether you believe me or not!” the warrior said weakly. “Don’t send me to the county constables. Even if you want to torture me, don’t let those useless pigs and dogs do it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So the county constables have some interrogation techniques?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You? Jianghu rules…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re mistaken. We are Daoists, not people of the Jianghu,” Lin Jue said, standing straight and calm. “If we had killed you in combat, that would be one thing. But you’re still alive. Why would we want to add a life to our hands? Especially since you came to us twice, seeking to kill us. Now that you’ve lost, what right do you have to make demands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warrior grew furious, and simply shut his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them paid him further attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The temple, lit by the lamp, was curious; the fox padded over to the pile of items and sniffed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First she sniffed the lime, pawed at it twice, then smelled the poison smoke cakes—her nose wrinkled instantly, and she leapt sharply backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally she stepped forward again, approaching the few taels of silver. She seemed to recognize the object, patted it with her paw, and pushed the silver fragments like toys toward Lin Jue, then tilted her head, watching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue picked up a few silver pieces and handed them to his seventh senior, then took up the warrior’s sword, retrieving its scabbard as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The long sword looked ordinary, without ornamentation; the scabbard bore little decoration. Yet the moment he gripped it, the feel was smooth and warm—though heavy, it was comfortable, and swung with effortless ease. Clearly, it was a killer’s blade forged by a master craftsman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then picked up the flying daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their design was practical, the edges razor-sharp; if used as projectile weapons, they were far superior to the blade fragments used by the bald man in the gray robe that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue put them back down. “What do we do with these?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take whatever you like. The rest, hand over to the authorities,” his seventh senior said, weighing the silver bits in his hand, then grinning. “Though now, we do look a bit like thieves dividing loot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought the sword was a fine blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad he already had his broadsword—longer, easier to swing. Swords aren’t simple weapons; in most hands, they’re less effective than broadswords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Lin Jue took only the flying daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His seventh senior took the hand crossbow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword went to the youngest sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver was just enough for new robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, dawn broke outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue and the youngest sister stayed in the temple; his seventh senior went to the county jail to summon constables, including the messenger constable named Pan Yi. On the way, he had already told them of the night’s ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon arrival, Lin Jue emphasized again: “The warrior who accompanied the bald man in the gray robe a few months ago is this one. Though he claims he came for money, interrogate him thoroughly—find out if someone else is behind him, or if he has other motives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you suspect another true culprit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squad leader was studying the ground outside the temple, clearly visible scorch marks making him uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No such thing,” Lin Jue said, standing at the entrance of the Divine Lord Yi Li’s temple—the one who slew the demon was his Divine Lord himself; he dared not speak rashly. “Better to ask thoroughly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In a few days, one of our seniors may descend the mountain. If he passes through the city, come to the jail and tell us the interrogation results. Please be honest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squad leader bowed to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why must you come yourself?” said Constable Pan Yi. “I can deliver the news to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That would be too much trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No trouble at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pan Yi bowed repeatedly, earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because of anything else—since drinking that cup of tea and that pot of wine at Fuxiu Temple, he had felt no fatigue from his two-day journey. For nearly half a month since, whether working at home or practicing martial forms, he felt energized, his spirit improved. He knew well what it meant—and never told the other constables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The constables departed respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue and his two companions returned to the temple, each offering three sticks of incense to the Divine Lord, thanking him for his warning and aid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thin smoke curled, veiling the statue—then suddenly, as if drawn in, it twisted into a spiral and flowed straight into the statue’s face, vanishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue froze in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this the Divine Lord accepting the offering?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue had asked Master Yunhe, who told him this Divine Lord was once a military commander of ancient times, possibly a cultivator who emphasized the body over technique, who had participated in the wars of dynastic change. When mortal dynasties fell and rose, so too did the fortunes of cultivators, spirits, and spirits—divine beings often took part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some ancient texts still record him; later, he ascended to heaven and now, he should be among the chief spirits under Jade Mirror Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning to the mountain, leaving the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youngest sister had received a long sword and was overjoyed; she carried it constantly, refusing to place it on the donkey’s back, frequently drawing it to slash at roadside weeds and dead branches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our temple has swords too, but we rarely use them,” said the seventh senior. “The temple’s swords were bought from the blacksmith’s shop in this city—they’re probably not as good as this one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third senior can use a sword,” said the youngest sister. “Seventh senior, if I ask him to teach me swordplay, will he agree?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Him? He does know swordplay—he practiced it before coming up the mountain,” the seventh senior said, pausing with a mischievous grin. “But his sword technique…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Is it bad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not bad at all—Third senior’s swordplay is truly exceptional. But he doesn’t know killing swords or combat swords. He knows performance swords—dance swords,” the seventh senior said. “Before coming here, he was famous in his hometown as a master of sword dancing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, there’s some overlap,” the seventh senior said. “He’s idle, and loves to be a teacher. If you ask him to teach you, he won’t refuse. But when spring comes, you’ll have to help him pick peach blossoms and pine pollen for brewing wine. And if you go down the mountain to buy things, you’ll inevitably be roped into fetching wine and running errands for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youngest sister didn’t understand. She loved working—whether or not her senior taught her swordplay, being asked to run errands was fun to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh senior reported the night’s events to their master; Lin Jue, with the eldest senior, counted the donations; the youngest sister went straight to Third senior to request sword training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighteen taels, two mace…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eldest senior weighed the silver with a balance scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thirteen thousand four hundred forty-three copper coins,” Lin Jue said. “So heavy—poor Donkey senior must’ve been exhausted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You two worked hard too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eldest senior wore the thoughtful expression of a country farmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the goddess was Fourth Auntie from nearby Jian Dao Peak, those Daoist friends were simple-minded, spending their days in mountain cultivation and play, unable even to count—how could they understand expenses? Fortunately, they were clever enough to ask their friends from Fuxiu Peak for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it’s still up to Senior Brother to worry about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More than expected—probably because of the Shangyuan Festival and your face, Younger Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior Brother tucked away the money and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an ordinary family, building a single house costs only a few taels of silver. Even constructing a courtyard house in the village with white walls and blue tiles, if you labor yourself and ask neighbors for help, it won’t cost much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A typical village temple only needs one room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But temples must imitate palace architecture, requiring more labor. You must carve a deity statue—that’s one expense. You must inscribe on the walls or on a standalone stele the deity’s origins, merits, and path to godhood, and record who funded the temple or list all donors—that’s another expense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Senior Brother planned that if the donations were few, they’d build like villagers do: he and the neighbors would do most of the work, hiring specialists only for skilled tasks. Now that there’s more money, it’ll be much easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the Daoist priests in the temple must still lend their labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior Brother thinks like a simple farmer: how could you possibly feel comfortable or respectable handing over all the work to others? And when neighbors build houses, who would dare not lift a single hand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue, though not as fond of labor as Younger Sister, had no objection to lending a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in his room, Lin Jue pulled out six throwing darts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were cloth-wrapped darts, about the length of a palm, with a slender diamond-shaped head at the front—sharp and keen—attached to a shaft, ending in a circular ring. Many users tied a strip of cloth to the ring to stabilize flight; without it, the dart was more concealable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could also be held in the hand as short stabbing weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his grip, they felt extremely heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue brushed his hand over them, and a thread of Qi clung to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He examined the darts left and right, glancing at the little fox, but couldn’t bring himself to strike door or window, so he went out and brought back a wooden stake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A swift incantation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu! Duo!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dart shot out like a falling star, embedding itself deep into the stake—the tip nearly vanished inside, and the force knocked the stake over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In raw power, it surpassed the gray-robed man’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was because the technique was a simplified version of the Art of Controlling Objects—using incantations to bypass years of painstaking study. Power here didn’t depend on mastery or skill, only on the caster’s Qi strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gray-robed man’s cultivation was inferior to Lin Jue’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was highly practiced, handling the darts with great agility—something Lin Jue far lacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duo! Duo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two more darts flew out and buried themselves in the stake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue tried swinging the darts too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an initial velocity, the force grew even greater—but Lin Jue didn’t know how to throw darts, so accuracy was poor. He still couldn’t adjust their flight path mid-air like the gray-robed man could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he was satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it was kind of fun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far more entertaining than playing with darts himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue couldn’t help smiling, a thought forming: he wanted to go outside Danxun County and chat with those strange monkeys again.\u003C\u002Fp>",2361,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","97e817593e009ca9329d7847b2ea87e325c353b0aa171bdc0ecbce9fe64fe200","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-81","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-79",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]