My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel Chapter 3: Angel with Broken Wings
Previously on My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel...
The Beast Taming Shop stands as the premier establishment in Lin Yuan City, controlling the distribution of resources harvested from the Alternate Space.
Within its walls, one can find various Guardian Beasts captured from that otherworldly realm, alongside precious materials, evolution potions, and legendary treasures.
Standing before the imposing facade of the Beast Taming Association, Gu Xing cast his gaze upward.
The structure was shaped like a massive pyramid with five distinct levels, each representing a specific rank—
Common, Elite, Excellent, Epic, and Legendary.
Unsurprisingly, the "Legendary Level" summit remained vacant throughout the year, occasionally displaying a few extraordinary artifacts from the Alternate Space for public viewing.
The fourth floor's "Epic Level" zone also held a meager selection of epic-grade materials, with price tags so astronomical they left visitors speechless.
Bypassing the ground floor, Gu Xing headed straight for the third level—
The section dedicated to Excellent-level Guardian Beasts.
Inside the vast hall, dozens of Guardian Beasts of diverse species were confined within specialized energy cages, each accompanied by a detailed information plaque and a price.
As Gu Xing scanned the room, attribute panels materialized automatically in his vision—
[Mystic Snake] [Talent: Excellent Three Stars] [Level: Tier Zero] [Skills: Poisonous Fang Bite]
[Spirit Cat] [Talent: Excellent One Star] [Level: Tier Zero] [Skills: Agile Evasion]
...
The market value for these Guardian Beasts typically hovered between 500,000 and 1,000,000, with superior talents demanding a premium.
Eventually, Gu Xing halted in front of a lupine Guardian Beast.
This creature possessed the highest talent on the entire third floor—
[Gray Wolf] [Talent: Excellent Three Stars] [Attributes: Wind Element] [Level: Tier Zero] [Skills: Gale Claw Strike] [Cultivation Suggestion: Wind Spirit Grass, Hurricane Crystal...]
Observing these Guardian Beasts with their solitary skills, Gu Xing’s brow furrowed slightly.
While an Excellent-level Guardian Beast was a respectable choice, the disparity between them and an Epic-level Enchanting Demon was immense.
Furthermore, with twenty million in capital, he was fully capable of aiming for a much higher ceiling!
"Hello, are there any other Guardian Beasts available at the Association?"
Determined to find something better, he flagged down a nearby employee.
"Greetings, customer. The beasts currently on display represent all the stock the shop has acquired this year."
Excellent Talent...
He gazed at the Gray Wolf; while a three-star talent was a rare find for a standard Beast Master, it paled in comparison to what he had seen before.
Having witnessed the skill set of the Epic-level Enchanting Demon, this level of talent failed to impress him.
Besides, attempting to raise such a beast to the caliber of an Enchanting Demon might cost more than his twenty million budget.
However, just as he prepared to depart in frustration...
The employee suddenly called out.
"Wait! There is one other place..."
Gu Xing spun around so abruptly that the staff member instinctively recoiled half a step.
"Where?"
Startled by his intensity, the staff member quickly clarified.
"Well, you see, we only put the current year's acquisitions on display."
"Those that went unsold in previous years are kept under uniform management in the logistics department."
"It's just that... customer, please don't get your hopes up. Those Guardian Beasts are essentially the defective leftovers that others have passed over."
Upon hearing this, the spark of hope that had just flared in Gu Xing’s chest died out once more.
What were the odds of finding a beast with significant talent among discarded, defective stock?
Nevertheless, following the logic of "since I'm already here," he hesitated for a moment before deciding to visit the logistics department.
If he found nothing there, he could always return to the third floor and form a contract with the Gray Wolf.
"You'll need to move quickly, though, or they will be sent for disposal soon."
...
Logistics Department.
The atmosphere here was dim and stifling.
A girl with silver hair sat huddled in a corner, her knees pulled to her chest and her face buried deep in her arms.
Scattered around her were a few other Guardian Beasts of varying forms, all silently awaiting their final judgment.
A Shadow Leopard missing a limb, a Spirit Fox born blind...
These were the "defective" units that had remained unclaimed for a full year.
"Time is up."
The heavy metal hinges gave a piercing screech as a young man in a uniform pushed the door open.
Today was the official Beast Summoning Day in Lin Yuan City, which signaled the end for these rejected creatures.
The Association was no charity; harboring them for a year was the limit of their generosity.
By destroying them, they could at least salvage some materials and maximize their value.
At the sound of footsteps, the Guardian Beasts rose with hollow expressions.
Yet, the most arresting figure remained the silver-haired girl.
As she lifted her head, her silver locks flowed down like a shimmering waterfall. Her delicate face featured a pair of amber eyes, making her look like an angel who had tumbled into the human world.
No—
She actually was an angel!
The staff member let out a sigh.
A year ago, the arrival of this Epic Talent angel in Lin Yuan City had caused a massive stir.
Regrettably, her congenital defects made her weaker than even the most common Guardian Beasts, and she was unable to level up through a contract.
Such "flawed goods" had almost no value, even for material recovery.
"Let's move!"
Just as he was about to lead them out, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed from the corridor.
"Stop!"
Gu Xing burst into the room, gasping for air with sweat-drenched hair clinging to his forehead.
He had spent thirty minutes navigating the labyrinthine Beast Taming Shop to locate this isolated department.
His eyes swept the room and were immediately locked onto the silver silhouette.
The attribute interface flashed before him instantly:
[Angel (Liu Li)] [Status: Uncontracted (Cannot Contract Due to Damaged Wings)] [Talent: Epic Nine Stars] [Level: Tier Zero] [Skills: Holy Light Judgment, Wings of Heaven, Divine Lament] [Special State: Congenital Flaw (Damaged Wings) (Negative State: Cannot Level Up)] [Cultivation Suggestion: Use Angel’s Feather, Radiant Star Dust, Holy Spirit Stone (to heal injuries)]
Gu Xing’s pupils contracted sharply.
An Epic Nine Stars talent?!
This was the most talented Guardian Beast he had ever encountered...
She was only a single step away from the Legendary rank!
Furthermore, while Epic Level beasts usually possessed two skills, Liu Li had three!
However...
His gaze drifted to her back.
Where a pair of divine wings should have been, there was only a void.
This was exactly why everyone had rejected her!
But the system had already provided a solution for restoration:
Angel’s Feather x1, Radiant Star Dust x3, Holy Spirit Stone x1.
Coincidentally, all three of these items were available right here in the Beast Taming Shop!
Gu Xing’s heart began to race with excitement.
It was her! This was the Guardian Beast he had been searching for!
Once her injuries were mended, her potential would completely eclipse that of the Enchanting Demon!
Taking a steadying breath, Gu Xing approached the staff member.
"Excuse me, I want to purchase that angel. What is the price?"
At those words...
Liu Li’s eyes widened in shock.
She slowly raised her head, her amber eyes reflecting the silhouette of the man standing in the light.
Was he... referring to her?
For more than three hundred days and nights, she had remained huddled in this dark corner, hoping and being disappointed time and again.
Eventually, she had become numb, no longer daring to believe that anyone would ever look at her again.
But now—
This total stranger was actually pointing at her.
She felt an invisible grip tighten around her heart, making it difficult to draw breath.
Did he... truly understand what he was choosing?
Someone like her shouldn't even dare to hope...
So why... did her heart feel a sudden, sharp ache?