Chapter 1311: Collecting Souls

With a clang, the jar shattered, and Liu Shuheng's head narrowly escaped the same fate.

This seemed to flip a switch. The crowd instantly grew agitated; throwing stones was no longer enough. They rushed forward, tearing at and striking Liu Shuheng.

They pushed and shoved, each afraid of not being able to reach him.

But they soon realized that mere stones were insufficient to satisfy their fury.

A one-armed man grabbed a large club from somewhere and, roaring, charged into the crowd. He aimed at Liu Shuheng and began striking him wildly, with loud thuds.

The last blow landed on his skull. "Crack!" Even from that distance, He Lingchuan could hear the distinct sound of bone fracturing.

Inspired by this, the crowd, screaming and shouting, grabbed anything they could find and used it to beat the prisoner.

Kill him!Kill him!

Only then did the execution truly spiral out of control amidst the frenzied mob.

Yang Meng and others stood by, watching the riotous execution. Their faces were bewildered, and their hearts grew cold.

Were these still the villagers they knew? The mediocre, timid, numb, and trouble-averse neighbors?

The Soul-Siphon Mirror let out a "Whoa!" "They're finally getting into it!"

After venting his fury, the one-armed man pushed his way out of the crowd, and then charged towards He Lingchuan.

Wanqie Feng was about to spur his horse forward to intercept him, but He Lingchuan raised a hand to stop him.

The man rushed up to He Lingchuan's horse, dropped his club, and dropped to his knees with a thud, bowing his head to the ground:

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!"

He kowtowed ten times, thanking him each time.

Tears streamed down his face, mingled with blood.

This was true, heartfelt gratitude.

From the muffled thuds of his kowtows, the black-armored cavalry could discern his past suffering.

Soon, dozens of people also withdrew from the crowd that was beating Liu Shuheng and came to kowtow and express their gratitude to He Lingchuan. They included old and young, all weeping profusely.

Through their tear-filled eyes, the black-armored cavalry stood silent and still, like solemn deities.

The public execution of Liu Shuheng lasted for a full half-hour.

By the time the crowd dispersed, the criminal was a bloody, mangled mess, barely recognizable as human.

Only then did He Lingchuan ride closer to Liu Shuheng. When they were less than ten feet apart, he cast a chain towards him.

If Fu Liushan had been there, he would have recognized it as the Soul-Binding Chain of the Ghost King's envoy, capable of seizing both living and dead souls.

The common people of Stone Helm City gasped in shock, for they had seen with their own eyes that within the black smoke emanating from the black-armored leader, the chain had actually hooked a translucent, pale shadow from Liu Shuheng's body!

The shadow flickered indistinctly, but it didn't prevent anyone from clearly seeing its true form: Liu Shuheng!

Even someone with the most barren imagination could not mistake it; this was Liu Shuheng's soul!

Liu Shuheng's soul looked bewildered when it was pulled out. It only reacted when the chain tightened, struggling and screaming, seemingly begging the black-armored leader for mercy.

But it merely opened its mouth without a sound, just as it had in life, like a silent film.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the black-armored leader took out an ochre-colored box, slowly opened it, and Liu Shuheng's soul was instantly sucked inside. He then closed the lid and calmly put it away.

Watching from the side, Yang Meng noticed that the box appeared to have chipped paint, and its mottled surface looked more like congealed blood.

"Death is not the end. Liu Shuheng must continue to atone in the chaos." The plaza had long fallen into a deathly silence, and the black-armored leader's voice echoed in everyone's ears.

After saying this, he lightly patted the giant elephant corpse puppet beside him.

This behemoth had stood beneath the city gate for half the night, capturing everyone's attention. Everyone gazed at it, both astonished and terrified.

But with that pat, the giant elephant corpse puppet vanished into thin air.

Even Dong Rui didn't know what kind of spatial storage He Lingchuan used to hold such a massive creature. Others found it even more incredible.

What storage space existed nowadays that could bear such a weight?

Afterward, the black-armored riders, under the gaze of the entire city's soldiers and civilians, silently passed through the East Gate and left the small city.

Zhao Guangzhi had already been untied from the wall, bound hand and foot, and taken by them out of the city.

Only then did Yang Meng's heart finally settle.

The black-armored leader was telling the truth; they had no intention of occupying Stone Helm City!

From now on, this city would truly be his? Seeing them move further and further away, Yang Meng suddenly awoke as if from a dream and abruptly mounted his horse to pursue them.

"Wait, please wait!"

About a hundred yards outside the city, He Lingchuan gently reined in his horse.

Yang Meng galloped up from behind and presented a storage ring with both hands. "Returning what belongs to you!"

They had used this storage ring to deliver five hundred catties of grain to him. He had accepted the grain, so he had to return the container. In the Glimmering Gold Plains, such an item was an invaluable treasure, difficult to find even with money. But how could he possibly keep something belonging to his benefactor?

After the other party took the ring, he then asked, "Your generosity towards us is immense. How should we address you?"

The black-armored leader calmly replied, "Why do I need a name?"

Damn it, it seems he really does need a resounding name.

"Yes, yes," Yang Meng replied. If he didn't want to say, so be it. Yang Meng nodded a few times and then asked, "W-where are you going?"

The black-armored leader pointed his spear tip at Zhao Guangzhi.

Yang Meng was somewhat surprised, but as his gaze swept over the ashen-faced Zhao Guangzhi on horseback, he instantly understood.

Right, the other party had said they came specifically for Liu Shuheng and Zhao Guangzhi. Liu Shuheng had just been dealt with, and now it was time to deal with Zhao Guangzhi.

Willow Knoll was the last place Zhao Guangzhi had conquered. Not only had the cannibal army indulged in depravity and plunder there, but they had also, true to their custom, eaten many people.

Zhao's army had lingered there for over two months. Yang Meng dared not imagine what kind of lives the common people of Willow Knoll had endured.

He grew even more respectful of the group before him. "I have a question, if I may."

The black-armored leader remained silent; only his horse snorted impatiently beneath him.

Facing the black-armored leader was intimidating. Yang Meng instinctively swallowed. "While Stone Helm City is temporarily safe, it was originally territory granted to Liu Shuheng by the Liu family. I'm afraid, I'm afraid the Liu family might send troops to reclaim it in the future."

Liu Shuheng was just one member of the Liu family, and Stone Helm City was on the fringes of the Liu family's territory.

The black-armored leader said gravely, "This is the Glimmering Gold Plains."

War and strife are the norm here.

Yang Meng respectfully asked, "You helped us defeat Liu Shuheng and Zhao Guangzhi. What should we do now? Could you, could you please show us the way forward?"

Just now, the black-armored leader had said that this city was still his responsibility. The problem was, he only knew how to defend a city; he had never been a city lord.

"You have always treated the common people and city residents well; you must not deviate from that in the future!" He Lingchuan advised him. "After tomorrow, Willow Knoll will also be a city without a master."

Willow Knoll? Yang Meng was startled, and then he understood.

This group of black-armored soldiers was going to conquer Willow Knoll!

Indeed, Zhao Guangzhi had been captured, making Willow Knoll an easy conquest.

Yang Meng had originally only been the commander of a small city garrison. His perspective wasn't broad enough, and he hadn't realized that opportunity was right before him.