250: Chapter 48 The Literal Meaning of Feathered Ascension 250: Chapter 48 The Literal Meaning of Feathered Ascension “Many Chinese terms cannot be understood literally, like ‘husband and wife lung slices’ which contain neither spouses nor slices of lung,”
Seeing the perplexed expression on Wang Yunxiao’s face, Veronica explained patiently.
“The term ‘Feathered Ascension,’ if taken literally, indeed refers to the emergence of wings from a breaking cocoon.
But we usually use it to describe the ultimate level of cultivation, ascending to the Heavenly Realm.”
“Feathered Ascension is a figurative description.”
“Yet some people twistingly interpret it literally, believing that Immortal Cultivation means becoming insects, then spinning cocoons, emerging from them, and growing wings.”
“This original failed approach, once grafted in this manner, became a bona fide Eastern Cultivation Dharma Gate.”
“Isn’t it interesting?”
Interesting?
Where?
Wang Yunxiao could listen no longer without feeling nauseated.
This knowledge indeed had a strong contaminating nature; merely listening to Veronica describe it was enough to make him uneasy.
You might find it ridiculous, but there are actually people who believe in it.
“So, what’s the situation with them?”
“While some choose the moth’s path of cultivation, there actually are no Moth Gods, nor should there be situations where insects are bursting out all over.”
Veronica spread her hands and said, “I guess…
it’s just a guess, that maybe a ‘moth’ at that place was attacked, affected by another kind of power, and these silkworms are merely by-products of the combat aftermath.”
After all, this world’s rules are too complex, and the systems too many.
Most importantly, many of these rules and systems are novelties, without any record.
As they were speaking, both turned their heads simultaneously to look into the ward.
Veronica unzipped her travel bag and pulled out an unusually designed big spear.
“What’s this?”
“Shotgun.”
“I know it’s a shotgun.”
Wang Yunxiao thought to himself that someone would believe this thing was designed to fire grenades given its caliber—it was meant for killing people or elephants?
The shotgun Veronica pulled from her bag was a classic Winchester M1887 lever-action model, but with a twist of magic modification added.
The barrel, already thick enough for 12-gauge shells, had been enlarged even more.
The stock and the barrel were engraved all over with dense, golden Holy Words.
Veronica did not plan to use the shotgun immediately; opening fire in such a cramped space was indeed efficient, but too likely to inadvertently take out the patients along with the threat.
She produced the gun as a precaution only.
She slung the shotgun over her back and then took out two handguns from her bag, both also Church-specific models densely carved with Holy Words, and began to check the magazines leisurely.
Wang Yunxiao noticed that the bullets in her magazine were densely etched with inscriptions.
“You’re taking care of this side?”
“Sure, go ahead!”
Without requiring further communication, in just a few words, they’d assigned their respective tasks.
Wang Yunxiao went down to the ground floor and on seeing Gao Shan, he asked immediately, “Is the hospital sealed off inside and out?
Are you sure no one has come in or gone out?”
“Yes.”
“Start checking all the rooms immediately.”
“Check for what?”
“It doesn’t matter what we’re checking for; the main thing is to make some noise.”
After instructing Gao Shan, Wang Yunxiao went to an unobserved corner and brought out his notebook.
“Erosion detected: Secret of Feathered.”
“You saw a path to Feathered Ascension, whispering in your ear, urging you to break free from all restraints and attain liberation.”
“Erosion detected: Beyond Destiny’s gaze.”
“Someone has attempted to peer into the river of your life through fate and left an unclear marking at some moment in the future.”
“Erosion detected: Banquet of Intrigue.”
“A Flower Amidst Guests has used ‘Banquet of Intrigue’ on you, planting some kind of Mental Suggestion in your brain.”
“Erosion detected: Nyarlathotep’s tentacles.”
“You have entered Nyarlathotep’s field of vision, its tentacles have entwined your ankles.”
“Erosion detected: Liberation Theology.”
“A nun from the Qianjin Church has evangelized to you.”
…
Good lord, have I caught some sort of mega-pack virus that combines influenza, mycoplasma, and other pathogens?
In the past few days, every time Wang Yunxiao opened his notebook, he could see all this messy stuff, but he himself had no feelings about it, nor any idea where all these erosions were coming from.
Did Veronica evangelize?
She herself said evangelizing wasn’t her job anymore.
Could it be considered evangelism just because she mixed in a few personal thoughts during their casual conversation?
Sometimes being too sensitive is not a good thing for a detector.
Even if he knew about the erosions, Wang Yunxiao couldn’t do anything about them.
Others could drink a bowl of mutton soup and forget everything, but nothing worked for him; he could only carry these debuffs with him and let them dissipate on their own.
Relatively more practical was the second feature he freeloaded from Li Mumu’s notebook.
Magic Object detection.
“Detected a Level II Holy Object: Holy Emblem of the Qianjin Church.”
“The bearer of the Qianjin Church Holy Emblem can block all detection, perception, and identification of the exclusive armament of their own Church.”
What could Wang Yunxiao say other than express admiration?
No wonder the Battle Nun had shielded herself with antimagic across her whole body, making it impossible for anyone to even get a glimpse.
“Detected a Level I Magic Object: Venomous Fang, distance 25.”
“A rosary made from demonic teeth, capable of continuous enchantment, cursing, and brainwashing through the manipulation of beads.”
As expected.
Just now, when Wang Yunxiao and Veronica were chatting on the first basement level, he sensed something indescribably strange.
No hard evidence, just his own intuition.
They stood by the stairwell; if something was coming, it couldn’t bypass them there.
Unless it was… through the ventilation ducts or sewer pipes.
Or on a mental level.
Wang Yunxiao didn’t believe that someone could cast a curse on patients in the hospital from thousands of miles away.
Again that saying, if one had such power, why bother competing with a few ordinary people?
What good could come from that?
There were no perverse vigilantes in tight costumes and masks deserving to be toyed with by someone dressed as a clown.
Truly powerful individuals don’t need to resort to trickery.
Therefore, Wang Yunxiao leaned more towards the idea that the person wanting to make trouble was inside the hospital itself.
Now the police had locked down the hospital and controlled the situation.
Yet he still dared to cause trouble…
Without discussing what this person was thinking, Wang Yunxiao guessed they must have something to rely on.
As expected, now when he opened the notebook, he immediately spotted something very suspicious.
Taking advantage of the commotion while Gao Shan led officers bustling through a ward search, Wang Yunxiao held the notebook and unobtrusively moved towards the direction indicated by the notebook’s hints.