Three Feathers

Wu Xiuwen temporarily fell into an uncontrollable state of madness. This was common during expeditions, and in the gunsmith's view, many of his companions couldn't overcome this hurdle. We had seen similar symptoms of mental breakdown and dissociation before—Teacher Bei Chen was now teaching in Galahad, was one of them; a part of his soul remained forever on the battlefield amidst the roar of cannons.

Noticing her companion's unusual behavior, Xue Ming immediately went to the student's side, ignoring the strange crowd in the trial hall.

He reached out, removed his cut-resistant gloves, clenched his right fist, and channeled the power of his Steel Heart. He unleashed the spiritual energy of Fragrant Dream, determined to use all his strength to send Wu Xiuwen into his dream.

On the other side, Xiao Qi sensed the chain reaction of Steel Heart's psychic energy, and she looked at her husband with a complicated expression—

Although Xiao Qi didn't know where this kid came from or what Wu Xiuwen's background was, he could sense from Xiao Qi's excessively high Madness Index that this young man had suffered far too much mental damage.

Whether it's mental exhaustion or emotional stress, Wu Xiuwen is already too tired. Without healthy sleep during the pupal stage, such a spiritualist is very likely to die prematurely halfway through.

"Is there any hope for him? You seem very concerned about him."

Jiang Xueming pressed down on Xiuwen's head, and the boy immediately went limp. He picked up Wu Xiuwen, carried him to Jianxiong's side, and turned back to reply.

"He's gone too far and needs to rest."

The sun dried the bloodstains all over the long street, and the bright red grass and bushes gradually turned dark red.

Xiao Qi, with her glib and unserious manner, asked, "You found two more young and strong boys to keep you company? Tell me the story sometime, my sweetheart?"

"What if I'm looking for a girl?" Xue Ming countered. "What would you do then?"

"Hahaha! You can say these sarcastic things too!~" Bai Ziqing took off her helmet, revealing the bruises and contusions on her neck, as well as the blood that had splattered on her earlobe during her death battle with the enemy.

This was the first time Zhao Jianxiong had seen his master's wife. He was still in a daze, anxiously guarding Xiangxiang's side, not paying much attention to the nameless hero—his mind was in turmoil, mostly thinking about his elder brother and Wu Xiuwen.

The sunlight grew increasingly intense, and the gunsmith felt his body growing hotter and hotter. Wu Xiuwen's mental damage was very severe; Fragrant Dream required most of his concentration to maintain that sweet dream.

He didn't talk to Xiao Qi about family matters, nor did he have the energy to say nice things.

Xiao Qi's eyes followed the butterflies fluttering among the trees, awaiting her husband's next instruction.

After about six or seven minutes, everything seemed to quiet down. Only the bored repetition of the officials in the Prefect's Mansion and the distant sounds of fireworks and firecrackers could be heard.

As the shadow of the gate tower gradually receded beside the stone lions, the sun began to radiate its full heat.

The head of the Moon Duty Officer had turned into a timer, gradually emitting a burnt smell under the sun's heat. Pale bird feathers grew from the hair at his temples, and the bestial symptoms of this dead man's head became more and more obvious.

Gunsmith: "I'm leaving."

Xiao Qi: "Together?"

Gunsmith: "Do you have any more ammunition?"

Xiao Qi first shrugged, then checked the gun. "It's all gone."

Gunsmith: "If you can't keep an eye on me, why not keep an eye on my two students? I have a way."

"Okay." Xiao Qi didn't hesitate at all, trusting her husband completely, and there were almost no communication barriers. "After you go in, Steel Heart to let me know you're safe, and I'll definitely find you."

The gunsmith performed a final inspection of the equipment. The decisive battle in Taiye Prefecture was about to begin, but judging from the intelligence gathered before the battle, the assault would not be too difficult.

The retainers killed at the drill ground last night—the Six Ding, Six Jia, Twelve Divine Generals, and the monthly duty officer—should be the most valuable and powerful targets in the Prefect's Mansion. If Li Kunhai and his personal guards were truly capable, they wouldn't have remained hidden until dawn.

He was on high alert and extremely cautious.

He walked step by step toward the courtroom, through the garden street, and into the tree-lined path, without committing any more murders. When the officials of Taiye Prefecture saw the gunsmith, they immediately knelt down to greet him and dared not speak.

Upon reaching the outer door of the trial hall, the prefectural judge and the chief magistrate immediately opened the door for the enemy.

Upon reaching the inner gate, the gunsmith knocked on the door, but at first no one answered.

He knocked harder, and a questioning voice came from inside the door—

"--What's going on?! Who's here?!"

The gunsmith said, "Zhang Congfeng."

A cacophony of voices erupted in the hall, the loudest of whom was Li Kunhai.

"He's here! He's here!"

"The evil monk has arrived! How can we fight him? Judge and adjudicate! Zhongxianxiao! Go! Go!"

Chung-hyun. "Huh? Me?"

The judge said, "I am merely a sixth-rank inspector. How can I possibly deal with this deity? Lord Li, do you want me dead?"

Li Kunhai roared in fury, "I don't care! Who can stop him?! I'll reward him with ten thousand taels of gold!"

This governor had no one he could rely on. He was the face of Taiye Prefecture, and he couldn't even get close to the Blood-giving Monster he kept at home—he had to mingle with these Homo sapiens to maintain his facade of righteousness.

Now that all the blood-bleeding monsters and celestial soldiers in the mansion are dead, who will protect him now?

The clever Fengyi Dafu, who had been trying to please the prefect, took advantage of Chengxin Xiao and Zhongxian Xiao's inattention to secretly unlock the inner door, pick up the bolt of the main door, and open the door to welcome guests.

The gunsmith was finally able to enter "respectably".

Upon seeing this blood-soaked, black-armored killing god, the left and right captains immediately lost their will to fight and retreated towards the courtyard wall, not even daring to draw their weapons.

The gunsmith walked straight up the steps to the hall. As he crossed the threshold, the civil and military officials inside the room involuntarily made way for him. Even the respected and powerful ministers who had been sitting in the hall, sipping tea and listening to the verdict, stood up.

Li Kunhai, sitting in the main seat, was deathly pale, his hands gripping the armrests, his body limp.

He remembered the clothes, and he remembered the image—

--This is the "Death God" spoken of by the Lingguang Buddha. Its facial features, armor design, and the calming and tranquil spiritual stone (diamond) are all characteristics of a gunsmith.

"You you you you you you!"

Under the gunsmith's spiritual pressure, the Blood-giving Monster was almost forced to reveal its true form.

"You're not dead?! You're not dead?!"

Judas had already informed all his men of the gunsmith's death through the elixir communication network, in order to boost the morale of the Shambhala tribes and prepare for an early counterattack on Eureka.

The gunsmith did not respond immediately. He searched the other blood-granting units in the house and, after confirming that there was only one, he stood in the hall, opened his helmet to reveal his true face, and, in accordance with the rules of Shambhala, spoke of the benevolence and morality of Shambhala to this group of flesh-dog zombies.

"I'm going to kill Li Kunhai, just him. Before I do, I'll have a heart-to-heart talk with him."

As soon as it started, the officers and generals changed their expressions. Almost instinctively, most of them couldn't control their emotions and their faces showed joy—Taiye couldn't be without a governor, this was a good thing.

The gunsmith, having identified his target, began discussing personal matters with Li Kunhai.

"Judas is your boss, and you have the elixir of immortality. Give me the elixir."

"No, you mustn't!" Li Kunhai pleaded hastily, "You can't! Immortal Master, please spare me!"

Gunsmith: "Why not?"

In short, the governor still wanted to preserve the human skin.

The gunsmith's voice boomed, his spiritual pressure surging.

"You colluded with Kunwu, harming the people of Taiye, engaging in wicked rituals and licentious ceremonies, and working for the demon Lingguang Buddha. I want you to abandon darkness and embrace the light, to submit to the law and atone for your sins. Why can't you?"

"Weren't you going to arrest me? Why have you been hiding all night? The helpers that the Monthly Duty Officer called are all dead. I killed them."

"These celestial soldiers and generals are not considered human in your eyes? They want to save you and protect you!"

"Lord Li Kunhai, why are you begging me to spare my life?"

"Or do you know, you know the truth in your heart?"

"You ungrateful, despicable, shameless, cowardly, and corrupt official who framed loyal officials! Do you know you're in deep trouble?!"

"When I got to the street corner, I saw Xiangxiang being sent to be executed. What crime did she commit?"

"Are you going to talk to me about the laws of the Great Xia, Li Kunhai?"

"I'll strip you of your human skin! Otherwise, I'll rip out your heart! I'll rip out your liver! I'll see if you have any elixir of immortality inside you!"

Upon hearing this, the Blood-giving Monster could no longer withstand the gunsmith's spiritual pressure—

--The prefect's body swelled up, bursting through his official robes. His once thick beard turned white and transformed into thick feathers, turning him into a monstrous eagle.

Just as the gunsmith said, the elixir was inside his stomach, near his heart and lungs in his diaphragm. His abdominal worm nest of holy blood had gone out of control, and the intense hunger almost drove him mad the moment the beast disease broke out.

Gunsmith. Gunsmith

Please, please!

"Don't kill me!"

"The elixir is here! The elixir is here!"

Before his physical body had fully transformed into a beast, he tore open his inner garment, revealing the fleshy tumor on his chest and abdomen. A swollen, dark red eyeball was embedded in his skin, about to be covered by feathers.

With a soft "plop, "Li Kunhai panicked and used his sharp claws to cut open the belly, taking out the corrupted Chaos Seed.

This was originally a trading tool for the Ming De, a payment terminal used by the human world for accounting. Through the psionic transformation of the Vita Imprint, it became Judas's telephone radio station.

The gunsmith didn't immediately approach. He could sense the intense psychic energy emanating from the Blood-giving Monster —it was the Wings of Light, the Red Flash Butterfly. Even if it remained motionless like a dead man, he would still need to fire two more shots to get close.

He quietly observed Li Kunhai's complexion, waiting until all the blood had drained before daring to retrieve this crucial prop.

After the prefect turned into a monster, the more than thirty officials in the hall all hid in a corner, but they did not panic or scream. They had already expected it—whether Li Kunhai was human or not seemed to be of little importance to them.

"I want to live! Gunsmith!" Li Kunhai urged, extending his claws and handing over the elixir. "Let me live! Let me live! I can help you!"

The gunsmith still did not respond.

Li Kunhai's voice was hoarse, and without the elixir's support, he grew increasingly weak.

"Every official in this room has received the blessing of Kunwu. Their inner demons are still there, so Kunwu is not dead! Since Kunwu is not dead, why must I die?!"

"I can live! I have value. I have it!"

Gunsmith: "Tell me about it."

Li Kunhai: "I know a lot, a lot, a lot of things."

Gunsmith: "Focus on the essentials."

Li Kunhai's throat had completely transformed into a beast-like state, and even his voice had changed.

"In the alliance of Judas, there are three crucial feathers. As an important manager in the southeastern pass who commands the demons, I must also cooperate with these feather masters to carry out tasks and nurture the immortal embryo."

"If you fight Judas to the bitter end, you can't avoid these three feathers."

"These are the last three trump cards of the Immortals Alliance. These three people will always protect Judas; they are his lifeline."

The gunsmith slowly approached the monster, and when he was certain that Li Kunhai was incapable of resisting, even his breathing slowed down.

Sunlight streamed in through the inner door, and the prefect remained kneeling on the carpet, still presenting the elixir.

"Take it. Take it, gunsmith."

"I want to live, I want to live!"

"The soul power of these three Feather Lords."

I know all their names.

Jiang Xueming tried to extract the elixir. He took out a roll of emergency bandages from his pack, wrapped the Seed of Chaos inside, and tried to get away as quickly as possible.

The powerful surge of spiritual energy erupting from Li Kunhai's body was a sign of the activation of his Soul Might!

Xue Ming felt the bandage that had come into contact with the elixir quickly dissolve; its texture, originally rough fabric, turned into liquid in an instant!

The fabric became "sticky," like a puddle of muddy water hanging between Li Kunhai's toes and Xue Ming's palm.

The elixir remains connected to the monster's bloodline, serving as a flesh-and-blood medium to unleash its soul power! Just as the gunsmith could use a severed finger to activate the Fragrant Dream ability!

This section of liquefied bandage quickly turned crimson, absorbing the governor's blood and transforming the cloth into a new catalyst for his spiritual power.

--This process is extremely fast, taking only a fraction of a second.

Xue Ming had no time to react; his right hand, still connected to the bandage, began to melt.

First, it was the fingertips, the backs of the fingers, and the nails; then the palms, and along with the Steel Heart, it all turned into limp, lifeless mud! The right hand was bent backward, hanging limply and powerless, just dangling to the side, the arm slowly turning into liquid!

It didn't break or bleed; it simply turned into a highly viscous liquid. There was no pain, and it seemed to cause no harm whatsoever.

"What are you going to do?" Jiang Xueming immediately drew his knife with his left hand to prepare for the slaughter.

Li Kunhai said pitifully--

"--I'm useful"

"My divine power, my supernatural abilities."

"My Soul Power... is it effective?"

"It works, right? As long as it works for you, I won't die, right?"

This psychic power appears to be able to turn any object into a liquid, but it's not very lethal. Even after the Steel Heart was affected, the pyroxene jewelry continued to function.

This Red Flash Butterfly's talent stops here; perhaps if it were sent to modern society, to a fluid mechanics laboratory, it could continue to shine in that field.

I want to live.

Li Kunhai muttered incoherently.

"I know a lot. I know everything."

"If you want me to live as a gunsmith, you certainly don't want to kill me."

"I"

But the gunsmith didn't give him that chance; the sudden psionic reaction was like a nuclear bomb. When Li Kunhai unleashed his soul power to demonstrate his talent to the gunsmith, the gunsmith had already begun the death penalty process.

Berloberg pierced the beast's head. The eagle-bird monster was still howling; it didn't have time to turn its head into liquid as well. But even after turning into liquid, Berloberg's high temperature could still cook its brains.

"No, no, no, that's not right."

You can't.

"If you want to know..."

The gunsmith had little time or opportunity, and had no intention of testing the poison on himself; he was far more cautious than the Death God Li Kunhai had anticipated.

This time it was Hunwei's harassment, but what will happen next? Should we give these ogres a second chance to retaliate? Xue Ming won't be so merciful—according to the battle plan, there's no room for cooperation.

"Spare my name, Lord Feather."

"The name of Lady Feather is Fa Yi Fa Luo Sha Lin."

"Fay."

The eagle's body gradually went limp, Berloberg dug a deep hole in its head, running from its temple to the top of its head.

After the psionic energy failed, Xue Ming could feel his right arm return to its solid form. The limp arm had changed back once again, and he was relieved. He put away the elixir and then waited.

Once the sun has reduced the monster to ashes, and it's certain it won't come back to life—

Yes, he's finally dead.