The Undead Huanglong Cannon

After returning the magical firearm used for hands-on practice to the armory, a sudden inspiration struck me: why not create some powerful alchemical artifacts? Unfortunately, as a mere apprentice in alchemy, my capabilities are quite limited. 

I remained lost in thought for quite some time before deciding to take a rest. Just as I stood up, a brilliant idea flashed through my mind, and I uttered a soft "ah" as I conceived a plan to rapidly enhance my strength. 

While my skills in alchemy are still at the apprentice level, the Heart of the Undead Warrior is different; it can at least forge sixth-tier treasures. Why not utilize the Heart of the Undead Warrior to create a psionic gun? 

Alchemy is a creative form of magic, and necromancy is also a form of creative magic. Although the two paths diverge significantly in their applications, they share common principles. I am accustomed to wielding a longsword as my weapon, and the undead weaponry forged from the Heart of the Undead Warrior primarily comprises cold weapons. However, this does not imply that the Heart is limited to only cold weaponry; in principle, it can also harness the power of death to forge a psionic gun. 

Of course, using such a negative energy source to create a weapon might be more aptly termed a "Spectral Gun." 

The essence of undead weaponry lies in the Tunguska magical runes. After much exploration and acquiring a book titled "Principles of the Tunguska Magic Array" from Judina, I have learned forty-two Tunguska magical syntax rules, of which approximately thirteen are suitable for ranged weapons. Advanced alchemists typically design their own styles for psionic guns, allowing them to establish their own signature. Lacking such prowess, I naturally find it more convenient to modify an existing psionic gun. 

The Black Triple Star and the Fiery Lance are both excellent weapons, making them somewhat regrettable choices for such experiments. I had already damaged a Cross Holy Gun during my duel with Miki, but being merely a second-tier treasure, even transforming it into undead weaponry would hold little value. 

Thus, my choice naturally fell upon the discarded psionic gun. 

The Huanglong Cannon, besides its main structural body crafted from Skystrike Wood found on the Yuan Yuan continent, also features a barrel forged from the renowned alchemical alloy, Sophia's Secret Steel, and a stock made from the highly magical Hundred-Year Rosewood, utilizing a total of nine different materials. Its design is intended for gunslingers skilled in both magic and firearms. Therefore, its appearance is simple yet robust, embodying a man's weapon that even the strongest of men would struggle to lift. 

The structure of the psionic gun is not significantly different from that of ordinary firearms; however, the choice of materials and the additional special abilities determine the fundamental differences between a psionic gun and a conventional weapon. 

The essence of undead weaponry is the manifestation of death energy. To modify this psionic gun, I must first alter its original properties using death energy. With a tentative spirit, I infused a trace of death energy into the Huanglong Cannon's body, only to discover that the Skystrike Wood had an exceptionally high affinity for death energy, quickly absorbing it. 

The initial attempt went surprisingly smoothly, filling me with excitement as I thought, "If all goes well, I merely need to replace the magical incantations originally inscribed with ancient alchemical runes with Tunguska magical syntax. That would be a significant achievement." 

As the death energy continuously reinforced the gun's body, the Tunguska magical runes were imprinted one after another. This process was quite tedious, requiring an exceptionally high level of control over the death energy—ten times more challenging than crafting the Spectral Flare Sword and the Vampire's Fiery Blade, with my mental fortitude stretched to its limits. 

The Huanglong Cannon, initially a dark brown, gradually transformed into a brilliant yellow under the influence of the death energy and Tunguska magical runes. I lost track of time, and after an indeterminate duration, I heard a soft hum. A dragon-shaped firearm radiating a faint yellow glow materialized in my hands. 

What a delightful feel! It would serve as an excellent weapon for bludgeoning. I wondered, however, how powerful it would be as a psionic gun? 

I performed a flourish, aiming the gun at a stationary target in the training ground. Upon pulling the trigger, the target, located several dozen meters away, shattered into large pieces without a sound. 

This power left me quite disappointed; after all, that target was merely an ordinary wooden board, and the force of this shot was no greater than that of an average man's fist. 

The spectral howling bullets are remarkably effective against both the living and the undead, but against a soulless target like this, the attack's impact is nearly negligible. It seems that death energy is unsuitable for crafting psionic guns! 

Transforming the Huanglong Cannon into the Undead Huanglong Cannon would allow it to be absorbed into the Heart of the Undead Warrior. At the very least, it would fire faster than retrieving a weapon from the small armory of the Demon Book. 

Just as I was about to store it away, I suddenly remembered that this was one of the few high-tier treasures I possessed. I decided to open the Demon Book and place it inside to review its description. 

The Undead Huanglong Cannon is a seventh-tier treasure, a firearm for undead use capable of firing bullets condensed from death energy, with an effective range of 1.5 kilometers. It can also utilize any model of psionic bullets, with an effective range of 3 kilometers and a magazine capacity of 230 rounds. 

It can accommodate three fifth-tier attribute cards, granting the wielder the title of Thundercaller, enabling the absorption of thunder energy in any weather condition. This creation has a flaw: using large-caliber psionic bullets carries a one-in-ten chance of jamming. "It certainly seems quite formidable! When used as a bludgeon, the gun's body crackles with electricity. 

It can be regarded as a highly lethal weapon, and furthermore, I can equip it with three additional cards, making its potential limitless! 

After storing the Undead Huanglong Cannon, I gazed up at the star-filled sky, and I no longer felt the urge to pursue a second idea... On Skeleton Island, Master Horus laid a solid foundation for me. After integrating the combat techniques he imparted into my marksmanship, my progress accelerated rapidly. 

Before long, I had mastered all types of firearms with the proficiency of someone who had spent decades as an assassin, even managing to multitask—switching magazines with one hand while shooting at fast-moving targets with the other, ensuring not a single shot went astray. 

Instructor Miki's shooting curriculum was quite rigorous; after completing various techniques with firearms, I was quickly thrust into practical training, where I had to engage in live-fire exercises alongside a cadre of professional killing machines. A moment's inattention could lead to dire consequences. 

The private mercenary corps accompanying me during training grew from a handful of individuals to two or three hundred, with the difficulty of training continually escalating. These days could truly be described as excruciatingly arduous.