Volume 1, Chapter 14: The Immortal Prison

Tang Xi toyed with the token. It felt cold to the touch, and its material was impossible to discern. There was a groove in the center shaped like the character for "Immortal." On a whim, he surged energy from within his body into the groove, but nothing happened.

"Risked my life to snatch that Ghost Girl’s storage bag, only to find nothing of value." Tang Xi felt somewhat speechless.

Zhao Shixuan, the Director of the Immortal Martial Bureau, was a legendary figure in the Tenth Royal City. As a Great Golden Core cultivator, he held supreme authority. The only reason Tang Xi dared to keep the storage bag for himself was his trust in the System; he was confident no one would discover the irregularity.

"Should I try using blood?" Tang Xi pondered, then dismissed the thought. If it attracted something dangerous, he would be in trouble. Besides, he wouldn't use his own blood for such a test; he would find someone else's blood to experiment with when he had the time.

After taking a shower and checking on Jian Qingyu to ensure she was fine, he fell into a deep sleep.

***

The Immortal Martial Bureau received a secret letter. The first sentence read: "Tonight, someone from the 'Immortal Prison' will appear at the center of the Tiannan District in the Tenth Royal City." The subsequent lines provided detailed information, including the person’s appearance, height, clothing, and behavioral traits.

Zhao Shixuan did not think this was a prank. The mere mention of the "Immortal Prison" was enough to warrant his personal attention. There was no way to trace who had sent the letter.

"Wang Qi, have the men head to the Tiannan Central Plaza and monitor for suspicious individuals." After giving the order, he moved with ghostly speed, quickly departing the Bureau.

***

The Tiannan District was located on the relatively outer edge of the Tenth Royal City. The city was vast, divided into four sectors: the East Star District (where the Immortal Martial Bureau was located), the West Star District, the Tiannan District, and the North Star District.

At night, the Tiannan Central Plaza was the hub of nightlife—brightly lit and bustling with crowds. A young man, about 1.8 meters tall, wearing a gray casual outfit, sporting blunt bangs, and donning black-rimmed glasses, sat on a plaza bench. He watched the people passing by with a smile, his eyes behind the lenses gleaming with cunning and malice.

"The Ghost Girl hasn't arrived yet; she must have met with an accident. It’s a pity about that token. It was left behind by the previous Prison Envoy and is said to record the inheritance left by them. Obtaining it allows one to become the next Prison Envoy."

"There are two tokens in total. The other one is with the leader of the Yan Yang faction."

***

The Prison Envoy was a powerhouse of immense status within the Immortal Prison; there were only a handful of them in the entire organization. The young man suddenly chuckled. He placed his backpack on the chair and slowly pulled the zipper.

Suddenly, his hand froze. It wasn't that he didn't want to pull it, but he couldn't move at all. His eyes widened. Zhao Shixuan was walking slowly toward him. He knew Zhao Shixuan—a formidable Great Golden Core cultivator. If not for him, the Immortal Prison in the Tenth Royal City wouldn't be having such a difficult time.

"Damn it! This operation was so secretive—why was I targeted so precisely? Could there be a traitor in the Immortal Prison?"

The young man was a ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivator. His internal energy was firmly locked down, rendering him unable to commit suicide or even speak. He could only watch helplessly as Zhao Shixuan walked up to him. Zhao Shixuan glanced at his backpack, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes. He then placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder, acting like an old acquaintance, picked up the bag with his other hand, and led him toward a secluded area.

To onlookers, this behavior seemed perfectly normal for close friends, and it drew no attention. Members of the Immortal Martial Bureau followed closely behind, monitoring all key intersections and points.

Qing Hua, wearing a hat and dressed fashionably, blended into the crowd. Seeing Zhao Shixuan lead the young man away, she curled her lips into a smile.

"In my past life, a disaster struck the Tenth Royal City, caused by nothing more than two Tier 1 Corrupted Beasts. Those two beasts were special—they fed on the various energies of the human world, such as electricity and nuclear power. Within a year, they destroyed many of the Tenth Royal City’s facilities to feed. The Immortal Prison secretly provided cultivation resources, allowing the two beasts to evolve into Tier 3 creatures, comparable to Small Golden Core cultivators."

"The Immortal Prison sent a Great Golden Core cultivator to stall Zhao Shixuan, while several Small Golden Core cultivators held off key experts, allowing the two Tier 3 beasts to wreak havoc. The casualties were immense. In the end, a Great Golden Core expert from the Xu family stepped in, resolved the battle, and gained a great reputation. It led to their massive development, vaulting them to become the top family of the Tenth Royal City."

"Now that this disaster should be resolved, I wonder if Brother Xi took that token?"

"It seems my rebirth has indirectly affected some people and events."

"However, I must find an opportunity to get that token back; it involves some of my later plans."

***

At the Immortal Martial Bureau, the young man was bound and stripped to the waist, unable to move. Zhao Shixuan used a small knife to make a cut on the young man’s chest, carving out a pill the size of a glass bead. This was a Heart-Devouring Pill; it could instantly destroy a cultivator's heart, causing immediate death despite a cultivator's robust recovery abilities.

Once the pill was removed, the young man's restraints were released. Zhao Shixuan toyed with the knife and said in a flat tone, "Speak! What is the Immortal Prison’s plan? Don't waste my time; you only have one chance."

The young man’s face was filled with terror. "I don't know! I don't know anything! I was just following orders from above."

"Wang Qi, let him have a taste of our Bureau’s eighteen culinary techniques. Make sure it’s extra spicy."

***

The next day, Tang Xi woke up early. He had slept so comfortably last night! He went through his usual three-step routine: bathroom, toothbrush, and face wash. Wait, he should add one more: checking on Jian Qingyu.

It was dawn on Blue Star, but dusk in the Heavenly Sword Province. Jian Qingyu was alone in her room, cultivating with the Shackled Sword Canon. Her progress in cultivation was somewhat slow, but her combat strength was still increasing.

"I need to hurry and earn Immortal Points. Right now, both my and Jian Qingyu’s offensive means are too weak, and our survival skills aren't strong enough. Both she and I are in danger."

***

At the school gate, Tang Xi waited for Mu Fan. When Mu Fan appeared, Tang Xi thought he was seeing things. After just one day, Mu Fan looked even sturdier, and his aura was significantly more powerful.

"Damn, the opportunity that guy obtained doesn't look half-bad! He's really soaring to the heavens."

"Brother Xi, how is it? Do I look even more handsome?"

"Handsome? Not even one-ten-thousandth of me," Tang Xi said, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together in a gesture of disdain.

"Brother Xi, you’ve changed. You’ve become so foreign to me! Why are you so incredibly smug?"

"Get lost!"

After waiting for a while without seeing Qing Hua, Tang Xi and Mu Fan returned to the classroom. As they entered, the classmates stared at Tang Xi as if he were a monster; word of him beating up Xu Wuhen yesterday must have spread.

It was still the class teacher Wu Wu’s course, and he looked very happy.

"Students, I have good news for everyone. Before the Immortal and Martial College Entrance Exams, the ten high schools of the Tenth Royal City have decided to hold a joint examination. The rewards are abundant, and it’s scheduled for one week from now."

"Before the joint exam, to encourage participation, each school will hold a preliminary competition. The top ten will represent our school against the other nine high schools. If you perform well, the rewards will be even more substantial. It’s scheduled for three days from now. Our class selections will be held this afternoon; no one is allowed to be absent."

"Also, everyone should learn from Tang Xi. He has the flair I had when I was young—handsome and talented..."

Wu Wu didn't notice the eyes of the students below, which were wide with disbelief, as if they were wondering if they had forgotten to check their horoscopes before coming out today.

A man with a balding, monk-like fringe and a beer belly—this was called handsome?

Tang Xi slapped Mu Fan. "Damn, why doesn't it hurt? Is this a dream?"

"Brother Xi, you hit me! That hurt like hell!"