Chapter 218: Gold Horn Meets His End
Tong Zheng Calendar 3rd year, July 6th. The battle in Storm City was similar to that in Griffon City a month ago, with Guiche diving down the streets, pulling up repeatedly, constantly driving the Horned People into the city.
Relatively speaking, the Horned People who swallowed Evil Pills in Storm City were even crazier than those in Griffon City; inside the city, they completely ignored the leader’s orders and began to Chaos-ize.
These Horned People who once resisted Feather Tribe tyranny together, who once jointly gathered Feather Tribe in the city-state, intimate “good friends,” now devoured each other to mutate into even larger forms.
Several hours later, this mutation in the city underwent a sudden change. The mutated Horned People’s chest cavities grew full of fangs and mouths, the “big mouths” swallowing the remains of weaker kin, then their bodies’ flesh and blood surged, becoming the largest.
In the sky, Evil Moon’s tentacles now dangled down from high above, while the following blue lotus root silk trailed behind. But as soon as Xuan Chong arrived, everything stopped.
…Chaos level insufficient to summon the End…
The city’s final recapture ended with Xuan Chong riding the Peacock to the central plaza. Since acquiring the Chi You Soldiers single-person mecha, Xuan Chong rarely rode the Peacock on the battlefield.
The Peacock’s overly self-centered personality meant it only took initiative during the southward journey when dealing with Thorn Plains Tree People, and against Chaos forces, it acted quite feather-preserving.
As long as Xuan Chong didn’t ride it, it was unwilling to participate in battles against “filthy and evil” Chaos.
And now, it seemed to sense the lotus seed’s glow above, and the Peacock let out an excited long cry.
Xuan Chong riding the Peacock this time was to consider prestige among the Feather Tribe.
This was like going to Africa in the 17th century; pulling out an assault rifle wouldn’t shock the black brothers much; but if you rode an elephant, or tamed two male lions as dogs, you’d definitely get the treatment deserved of a warrior.
In the central plaza, all exits were blocked airtight by Wu Family Army spear warriors using barricades and spear formations. In the central hundred-zhang-wide plaza was the last cluster of frenzied Horned People. They huddled together like a pile of dung, brandishing weapons with fangs bared and claws waving.
And outside the city, the Feather Tribe summoned by Xi Yuan had just arrived.
As a visitor, seeing the slaughterhouse-like scene, Mi Ke couldn’t help holding his breath.
But in Xun Feier’s eyes, he stared intently at the colorful Peacock giant beast and the hero king riding on the Peacock.
…Radiance…
The Peacock held its head high, always facing the blue lotus in the sky, ignoring everything below, merely circling the city as per Xuan Chong’s instructions.
Unlike the Guiche leaving black shadows on the ground when flying, the Peacock’s shadow now falling in the city was rainbow-colored. Just like a crystal prism suspended in the air, leaving light traces on the ground.
Where there is shadow, there is light! The light illuminating the Peacock’s figure didn’t come from Evil Moon, but from the Holy Lotus Seed high in the sky! The Peacock found the Chaos monsters below disgusting, but being illuminated by the lotus seed felt very comfortable.
And these colorful lights swept over streets and buildings without lingering, but when falling on Horned People, it was like dyeing; the light spots stuck to the Horned People, and the smaller ones on the ground all suffered “health bar burn” damage one after another.
Horned People dyed red light had flames erupt from their bodies, rolling in pain on the ground; those dyed white light had ice form on their bodies, curling up on the ground.
The unlucky one dyed green light sprouted green buds on its body, constantly scratching itself all over, tearing its flesh bloody.
In the plaza, many Horned People rolled howling in agony, Gold Horn and his four mutated gigantic subordinates roared madly at the Peacock in the sky.
“The boss jumped out himself!” On the Peacock, Xuan Chong raised his “dragon spear,” namely, a 1.8-meter-long, 14-millimeter caliber sniper firearm.
In the plaza, those four five-meter-tall gigantic monsters roaring at the sky used the largest mouths on their chest cavities to aim at the “chattering” thing above, when Xuan Chong’s pupils flickered gold, looking at the target in the crosshairs.
After pulling the trigger, the sniper bullethead coated with refined copper runes flew from the dragon spear’s barrel. The target’s mouth full of fangs didn’t block this projectile, and then blood bloomed inside its body.
After the hot-casing fell from high air, another projectile chambered, and immediately another great demon fell accordingly.
As for Gold Horn, now a terrifying monster after mutation, as it spread wings preparing to leap into the air, its wing roots were shot off, and it crashed to the ground.
Gold Horn was extremely panicked. Because the blessings he received from Evil Moon, such as the body’s restorative power, the ability to regrow new organs directly from wounds, were all useless. And though very far away, he felt a pair of eyes from Xuan Chong that terrified him.
The bullet damage was “Truth,” because Xuan Chong had mastered “Penetrating Sight” vision when directly facing the Lord of Rot.
In the eyes of Mu Yun Kuohai and Xi Yuan, two Feather Tribe nobles, and many participants in the city, Xuan Chong took the stage and cut down these demons one by one.
Finally, the Peacock landed in the plaza on Xuan Chong’s command.
As the colossal Peacock descended from the air, the crowd then realized this floating giant beast could occupy half the plaza upon landing.
Gold Horn and his over a hundred subordinates lost cover and were flung away.
And during the landing, Xuan Chong bit his finger, dripping a drop of blood on the Peacock; the Peacock felt pure Vermilion Bird power flow into its back, its tail feathers unfolding like a living tail from the air for hundreds of zhang, suddenly sweeping toward the ground. This Milky Way falling from Nine Heavens scene made Mu Yun Kuohai and the Feather People nearby open their mouths wide.
These gorgeous tail feathers were actually gaseous; after the “light sweep,” flames erupted from all living things and corpses on the plaza ground, as if all flesh instantly became flammable.
The Peacock body opened its tail fan.
In the past, the Peacock had opened its tail fan to Xuan Chong more than once; as for why it could make creatures self-combust?
Xuan Chong had cautiously gathered Peacock tail feathers and observed them under a microscope. These tail feathers were hollow, storing a substance; the only known currently were “phosphorus, sulfur” organic compounds. They had a powerful catalytic reaction on organic matter, making flesh produce large amounts of combustible gas.
So this gorgeous Great Peacock had a deadly poisonous tail. —To the point that Xuan Chong once toyed with the Peacock and asked: “Are you a peacock or a pheasant?”
The fierce fire burned for the time of one incense stick before extinguishing; thirty percent of the Horned People became dry bones. As for the rest, all had scorched flesh. The few surviving Horned People tried to flee but crashed into the spear formation and were wiped out.
As for Gold Horn, he was impaled on spears.
Xuan Chong himself dismounted from the Peacock, while the Peacock walked behind Xuan Chong like a tyrannosaurus rex, its feathers still fanned out. Providing a gorgeous backdrop for Xuan Chong’s worldly presence.
Of course, no one present viewed these five-colored feathers with appreciation anymore, but with awe at this divine object.
Not to mention the Feather Tribe, even the Wu Family Army rarely saw the “Peacock feathers” fully fanned.
…One word exterminates demons…
By the city’s pond, Gold Horn with his body burned bloody, saw Xuan Chong. He showed a smile seeking death, laughed madly at the sky, then roared a loud chant.
The shrill voice made the soldiers ready to thrust fiercely; Xuan Chong raised his hand to stop his subordinates from advancing.
Hearing this demon’s howl, Xuan Chong first froze, then was stunned. Then he opened his mouth and said something, and the words that came out were sacred and grand.
Xuan Chong’s voice wasn’t loud, but precisely, Gold Horn could understand. His originally sacrificial mental state was interrupted.
This was just like someone singing a hymn, only for another to interject mockingly in tune, inevitably throwing the singer off key.
Gold Horn’s last few lines were interrupted; he charged viciously at Xuan Chong, but was stabbed to death by spear tips.
Gold Horn’s death roar was: My eyes will congeal into sand and stone, my blood merge into the sea. Great Holy Horn King, please accept my humble sacrifice and descend to the Human World!
During his chant, all organic matter on his body wriggled like ants receiving pheromone commands.
But the mysterious incantation he chanted was understood by Xuan Chong; Xuan Chong’s mind synchronously translated Gold Horn’s content, so mouthy Xuan Chong, knowing this minor language others couldn’t understand, began freely cursing the “pretentious” Gold Horn.
Xuan Chong: “Your soul will fall into hell, your blood will be decomposed by sewer microbes, fuck your Wonder Crispy Horn, you’re Aqina, Seth black.”
Ultimately, Gold Horn spat a mouthful of blood like the “Kingdoms’ Minister of Works,” pus oozing from all orifices, collapsing lifeless. Xuan Chong raised his hand, touched the Peacock’s ice blue tail, pulled out an ice spear, and threw it down.
Xuan Chong looked thoughtfully at the stabbed-dead Gold Horn. At this moment, Xuan Chong realized the 1.5-credit “communication filter” device exchanged in the Feather Tribe holy land was very useful, not just for preliminarily understanding the importance of some code in “Immortal Path technology.”
…Incredible Golden Finger…
When Xuan Chong contacted the Sky Goddess and encountered “mind forced docking,” he passively spent 1.5 academic credits.
After exchanging, Xuan Chong felt it wasn’t worth it then, asking the System: This thing wasn’t proactively exchanged by me, can I get a refund? Of course the System overbearingly replied “No refunds once sold.”
Thus, this thing claimed to enable safe dialogue with “all existences” ended up ‘stuck’ in Xuan Chong’s hands.
Xuan Chong had regarded it as a translator. But now Xuan Chong discovered its “same-mind” ability: no matter who, in any bizarre language, as long as they speak, Xuan Chong could understand their meaning and retort.
After cursing Gold Horn to death here, Xuan Chong raised his head and slowly narrated to the surrounding many Feather People: “This fiend has been executed.”
Just a few simple words swept over everyone like an information storm.
Commoner 1 heard: The enemy who drove you is dead, go back quietly to live your lives, no need to worry, Da Yao is civilized.
Commoner 2 heard: Northern Yao People and Feather Tribe are allies, no saber fighting between both sides.
Commoner 3, Commoner 4… These simple commoners, because they only cared about their upcoming lives, Xuan Chong’s intended meaning would respond to what they cared about most in their hearts.
Mu Yun Kuohai heard a warning: Stay loyal, and you won’t be shortchanged. —Because after witnessing his master’s power, Mu Yun Kuohai worried about his own authority.
While Xi Yuan heard: I’ve avenged you already, next you choose here yourself.
Southern Alliance Prince Mi Ke heard: Gold Horn is dead, whether we’re enemies or friends, hope for a good outcome.
As for a certain passerby Feather Tribe princess in the Southern Alliance, she looked at Xuan Chong with obsessed eyes; what she heard was: Hunting Gold Horn was revenge for Feather People, not a gift to you. I’m not interested in your devotion.
The same-mind ability lets a simple sentence respond to different people’s thoughts, and the more thoughts in the heart, the more responses received.
This was why, after the Sky Goddess failed to establish divine communication with Xuan Chong, Xuan Chong said very simply in dialogue, but the Sky Goddess was attracted by Xuan Chong’s various remarks.
Even as a mortal, mastering same-mind ability allows cursing deities to make them hear infuriating voices, conveying goodwill to make deities sense it, or letting deities know mortals’ anger.
At this time, the sky Evil Moon heard Xuan Chong’s threat, retracted its tentacles, and the dangling root silk also left; the opportunity to land here vanished.
And on Death Island four hundred li away in the south, Evil Moon also gave up absorbing.
Because the Sky Goddess side launched “take advantage of your illness to kill you,” a deep blue railgun descended from heaven, bombarding Death Island. The core altar on Death Island was hit, causing Evil Moon’s absorption at the Tranquil Sea center to stop directly. Of course Xuan Chong didn’t see this; an old acquaintance was there.
Great Prophet “Cang Meng,” the NPC Xuan Chong gnashed teeth at, boarded the island as the railgun mushroom cloud rose, checked his system, and let out a long sigh: “Crisis averted.”
…Faith filling…
Since Storm City wasn’t suitable for Yao Person habitation, Xuan Chong withdrew from the city after resolving the battle, but on the other side Ang Ri led the Crow People into this city.
Ang Ri saw the Feather People in the camp starving, the pot they surrounded holding only scant fish and breadfruit picked from trees. Ang Ri entered this Feather Tribe group, came to the pot, poured in nutrient solution. Then taught these Feather People how to pray and believe in the “Moon Empress.” And quickly took disciples to facilitate preaching here.
What Ang Ri heard in Xuan Chong’s same-mind dialogue was “Make good use of the prestige gained from our army killing Gold Horn now, preach well.”
Ang Ri sat with the Feather People, soon harvesting believers, then stated food and herbs would be sent in a few days.
As a Moon Empress believer, Ang Ri had a mission to preach—now he could fulfill Xuan Chong’s order to recruit locals while sneaking in his own goods, why not?
…Student’s decision…
Back at the main camp, Xuan Chong began assigning next tasks, and upon suddenly discovering everyone in each department understood his meaning, he was stunned.
But then learning from the System about the “same-mind ability” coverage, Xuan Chong took a deep breath and said to the System: Isn’t this a cheat? —This is the ruler’s dream speech device, clearly conveying one’s meaning to doubtful subordinates.
System: “The thing you exchanged now is a language auxiliary device.”
Xuan Chong: “But this is too much.”
System: “Oh, if you don’t want it, you can return it; credits refunded as original.”
Xuan Chong silent for two breaths: “Can it be returned?” (Previously, unaware of its function, the System didn’t support returns)
System seemed to test Xuan Chong: “Yes.”
At this time, even without refund, Xuan Chong’s credits were enough to go back.
Xuan Chong took a deep breath: “Refund it.”
System: “Are you sure?”
Xuan Chong: “Yes. I add a request: while I’m in this world, no ‘mind-influencing’ anomalies allowed.”
System: “As you wish.”
Next second, Xuan Chong saw his credit points grow from 16.2 to 17.7 credits.
…Pebble drops in pond, ripples begin to spread…
And what Xuan Chong didn’t know was that his “true words” were executed meticulously. Rule power began to spread.
Ten thousand li away, Xian Daoren offering advice to Wu Hengyu suddenly blanked, because he suddenly felt estranged from those around him! This estrangement came from his originally blessing-granted ability to clearly know those around him’s hearts, but now suddenly he felt hearts were separated by skin.
As for Zhao Cheng’s side, one of his advisors secretly hid a Heart-Questioning Mirror, quietly shining it on Zhao Cheng.
Now this mirror directly shattered; the advisor panicked, thinking he’d been discovered, looked terrified at Zhao Cheng, while Zhao Cheng inexplicably looked at this subordinate, then grew suspicious of this panicked subordinate.
Arctic region, Pu E suddenly checked the system; the Wisdom and Courage System showed an “error popup.”
After Pu E closed the “error popup,” she stunnedly found on Zhao City’s character panel, the “loyalty” value item was gone.
Previously, even as low as 15%, it was visible.
For Pu E, even a negative value on the popup was better than no popup. —Because hearts separated by skin, as a transmigrator unable to see “loyalty values” of obsession-recruited people, felt no security.
Pu E inquired the Wisdom and Courage System.
Wisdom and Courage System after a while: “Suggest leaving this planet quickly.”
Pu E: “After leaving, it’ll be fine?” (Subtext: Functions restore outside planet range?)
Pu E worried the system functions were permanently damaged. Her system had damaged before; she crossed several different physical space-time planes, painstakingly redeployed “obsession positioning” to fully repair system functions. As for irreparable systems? Discard them, of course; might also smash into a traversing sub-consciousness, starting otherworld journey.
Wisdom and Courage System: “Don’t know. After leaving, I’ll try rebooting.”
Pu E fell silent; she was ninety percent sure she’d been secretly plotted by other space-time forces.
Wisdom and Courage System continued: “Maybe after leaving, reboot also fails; now we might already be locked on.”
