Chapter 137: The Black Iron Bow

With newfound awareness, my speed in riding the wind increased significantly. As I soared above the peaks, the howling frigid gale stung my eyes. From a distance, I could already see the Feathered Folk busy upon the mountainsides; several massive peaks had already been half-excavated.

I touched down on the highest summit. Feathered Folk spotted me and bowed respectfully, calling out, "King of the Feathered!" I channeled my internal energy and signaled them: "No need for formalities. Please, continue with your work."

They resumed their labor immediately. I felt a surge of deep emotion; these people were kind-hearted, honest, and steadfast. They worked without the slightest hint of laziness—a level of dedication incomparable to people of the twenty-first century. Regardless of the cost, I had to protect the Feathered Folk. Why had history left no trace of them? Were they destined for extinction? No! I would never allow such a thing to happen!

Just then, the strategist flew toward me. "King, where have you been? You’ve been gone all day. I was just about to send people to search for you."

I offered a bitter smile. "I was delayed by some private matters. Sorry to have worried everyone! How is the progress?"

Seeing the strategist’s beaming face, I already had my answer. It seemed the mountains did indeed contain the stone capable of producing explosions. "How much have you unearthed?"

"Quite a lot," the strategist replied with a grin. "Every member of the tribe was mobilized. We thoroughly surveyed the entire Valley of Oblivion, starting with the larger peaks. We organized into squads of one hundred, and in a single day, the nearby tall mountains have been nearly hollowed out."

Hearing this put my mind at ease. Excellent! This would significantly increase our chances of rescuing the Nine-Tailed Fox’s husband from the World Alliance. I took the bullets from my spatial ring and handed them to the strategist. "Have these replicated immediately. The size and shape must match perfectly."

The strategist took a bullet, turning it over in his hand for a long time. "King, what is this object?"

"It is a type of concealed weapon," I explained. "Have the tribe work through the night to produce them. I must depart for the World Alliance immediately." I didn't know how to explain modern ammunition to him, so I kept it simple, emphasizing that the dimensions must be exact. Not knowing how many could be produced overnight, I handed him over a hundred bullets. Regardless of the production rate, I had to head to the World Alliance before dawn.

Holding the bullets in both hands, the strategist asked, "What is the King doing going to the World Alliance? It is heavily guarded, and the Alliance Leader’s power is terrifyingly high!"

"Do not worry, I will be fine," I replied. "I will set out before dawn. Find people to carry out my orders at once." I had to go. I had been away from the others for two days; I hadn't achieved my revenge, and I had inexplicably become the King of the Feathered. Since I held this title, I had to be responsible for them, making the trip to the Alliance unavoidable.

Beyond rescuing the fox’s husband, I also wanted to see the Alliance’s engineering progress. Perhaps I could imitate their methods to fortify the Valley of Oblivion with walls. More importantly, I was worried about Qin Tian and the others. Qin Tian was the strongest among them, but he still lagged behind me. The Nine-Tailed Fox had not fully recovered her cultivation and couldn't exert much power, and Murong Xue’s soul was still imprisoned at the Edge of the Heavens, leaving her with less than a tenth of her strength. As for the others, they were even weaker. If Chu Jun targeted them, it would be a disaster!

After giving my orders, I prepared to descend into the valley to grab a brief nap before dawn. The strategist called out, "Wait, King."

"What is it, strategist?"

"Please, follow me."

I followed him down into the valley. Pinpricks of firelight appeared ahead as countless Feathered Folk labored through the night. Nearly half the tribe was engaged in digging or tending fires, while others flew overhead carrying bundles of dry wood.

"Everyone, stop." Seeing them work so tirelessly made my heart ache. Dawn was approaching, and there was no need for night shifts. There were enough of us that we would finish hollowing out the mountains in a few days regardless.

The tribe stopped and bowed in unison. "Greetings, King!"

I looked at the strategist. "Were they always like this?" Being treated like an absolute monarch made me uncomfortable; I feared returning to the valley if this formality persisted.

The strategist smiled awkwardly. "Not at all. The previous King was very close to everyone, and they were quite casual. I was just afraid you wouldn't be accustomed to it, so I wanted you to settle in."

"That was your doing? It makes me even less comfortable. From now on, abolish this rule. Everything should be as it was before." I summoned the workers from above and turned back to him.

Once everyone had gathered, I cleared my throat. "Everyone, you have worked hard. Go and rest now, and extinguish the fires."

They dispersed with visible relief. Soon, the vast square was empty, save for the strategist and me. A waning moon hung in the sky, and the shadow cast by the Mingu Ruins star obscured half the heavens. The strategist reached behind him and produced a bow. "King, look at this."

I took it. It was pitch-black and surprisingly heavy. I weighed it in my hand; it felt durable. "Where did you get this? It’s quite good!"

"Naturally," the strategist said proudly. "This is a Profound Iron Bow."

"Profound Iron Bow?" It was my first time hearing the name, but it sounded formidable.

The strategist took it back, drew an arrow from somewhere on his person, and notched it in one fluid motion. He fired, and the arrow struck a small hill behind me with a thunderous *bang*. A plume of white smoke rose as half the hill was blasted away.