Free Web NovelChapter 22: Chapter 22: An Opportunity to Enter the B-Class Prison
「Three days later.」
Su Bai heard that the three disciples of the Northern Sword King had already been interrogated individually. The prison chiefs had managed to extract all the secrets they were after.
The youngest, Chen Teng, had been the most stubborn. But his two dear elder brothers caved after a bit of torment with the torture instruments and confessed everything.
As a result, the three of them had very little value left.
That morning, after eating their last meal, the three were escorted by Prison Guards to the execution grounds. They still held out hope that their other senior disciples who had come to the Great Xia Dynasty would rush to their rescue.
But they would never know, not even in death, that those three senior disciples had already died at Su Bai’s hands.
And so, filled with resentment, the three of them met a tragic end on the execution grounds.
Watching the three of them being executed, Su Bai found it a bit of a shame.
After all, they had been the main source of his Experience Points. Of course, he wasn’t about to stop the execution; doing so would only arouse suspicion.
’Why would a Prison Chief speak up to stop Great Xia officials from executing a convict?’
’Anyone could see that something was definitely wrong!’
’At that point, I wouldn’t be able to talk my way out of it.’
Upon learning that the three had been executed, Su Bai sighed inwardly.
With their deaths, his Experience Points earnings plummeted, dropping to just twenty thousand a day.
’Time to find some new experience farms!’
Su Bai muttered to himself inside his private chambers.
Then, he got up and began to patrol the entire C-Class Prison.
Unfortunately, he patrolled for an entire day without seeing a single new criminal brought in.
This left him quite frustrated.
Today had truly been his unluckiest day.
「The next day.」
A group of people stood before a temple on a desolate mountain. Lying in front of them were several corpses, their faces long since rendered unrecognizable.
This group was dressed in practical attire and carried fine weapons. Though there were only five of them, each was an expert with profound cultivation.
The one in the lead wore a black robe, his eyes as sharp as an eagle’s. He held a blue iron saber, and his aura was overwhelmingly powerful.
If Su Bai had been there, he would have recognized this man. He was the very same Martial Artist from the Demon-slaying Bureau who had appeared when Su Bai slew the Third-Level Demon Fiend.
His name was Ning Fengyun.
Just then, a young member of the Demon-slaying Bureau stepped forward. He performed a special Cultivation Technique that actually restored the faces of the three corpses.
Immediately after, he bowed to Ning Fengyun and reported.
"Sir, these three are indeed the other disciples of the Northern Sword King."
Ning Fengyun glanced at the three corpses, his expression turning cold.
"I previously captured one of the Sword King’s youngest disciples and have been searching for the others ever since. To think they would all die here!"
For some time, he had been searching for any trace of the Sword King’s other disciples.
Based on information from the three disciples in the prison, they had followed the clues and finally located this desolate mountain temple.
But upon arriving, they noticed signs of a struggle. After a careful search, they blasted open a cave and discovered the three bodies.
"The Sword King may have taken many disciples, but he treats them all equally. He even established a rule: fellow disciples must never abandon one another to die!"
"Could it be... that these three were originally planning a jailbreak?"
Ning Fengyun’s eyes narrowed as his mind raced.
The Northern Sword King had apparently been betrayed and severely wounded by a close friend once, which was why he established this rule.
Any disciple who violated this rule by abandoning a fellow disciple would face unimaginable torture before being executed by the Sword King himself.
The thought passed in a flash.
Ning Fengyun then turned to another member of the Demon-slaying Bureau and asked, "Can you tell who killed them?"
This member of the Demon-slaying Bureau had unusual eyes, which flickered with a strange blue light.
"One moment, Sir."
Hearing Ning Fengyun’s words, he activated a Cultivation Technique. His eyes, now glowing with blue light, scanned the three bodies.
"Sir, based on my investigation, it appears that one of the three was decapitated with a single saber strike. The killer likely used the Purple Mist Saber Technique." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"Furthermore, their skill in Body Techniques must be considerable. This burly man had no time to react before he was cut down in a single blow."
"As for the other two, they were both killed by the Golden Body Technique."
"And I would venture to guess that the killer’s mastery of the Golden Body Technique has reached the Realm of Returning to the Essence."
Ning Fengyun’s expression flickered upon hearing his subordinate’s report.
’Purple Mist Saber Technique...’
’That’s a widely circulated Third Grade Saber Skill. It’s not particularly high-grade, and many Martial Artists have practiced it.’
’But the Golden Body Technique is no ordinary art. It’s a Fifth-Grade Body Cultivation Technique that only a handful of Martial Artists have ever practiced.’
’And cultivating the Golden Body Technique to the Realm of Returning to the Essence is exceedingly difficult.’
’Without immense willpower and a certain degree of aptitude, it’s simply impossible to cultivate it to the Perfection Realm!’
Ning Fengyun’s expression shifted.
’Throughout the entire Great Xia Dynasty, only a handful of incredibly powerful Martial Artists could cultivate the Golden Body Technique to the point of Returning to the Essence!’
’Could it be their work?’
A chill went down Ning Fengyun’s spine at the thought.
’Those Martial Artists are all ruthless, powerful figures!’
’Even he would have to treat such individuals with courtesy.’ ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
’In that case, this matter...’
’...is best left alone.’
The thought flashed through Ning Fengyun’s mind.
He had originally planned to investigate thoroughly.
But now...
It was better to just drop it.
"Secure the bodies. We’re leaving!"
He glanced at the bodies and gave the cold command.
"Yes, sir!"
Once the Demon-slaying Bureau personnel had secured the bodies, the group headed toward the Imperial City and slowly vanished from sight.
...
「Half a month later.」
Su Bai was wandering through the prison area, hoping to see if any new criminals had been brought in.
That afternoon, he received a message.
"Su Prison Chief, this is a letter from the higher-ups!"
Inside his private chambers, Su Bai felt a flicker of confusion as an old Prison Guard handed him the letter.
He then opened the letter and read it.
It turned out that a few days ago, a Demon of terrifying power had escaped from the level below: the B Prison Area.
Although a powerful expert eventually intervened and killed the Demon with a single palm strike, the escape had resulted in the deaths of many Prison Guards and Prison Chiefs.
Therefore, the higher-ups in Great Xia urgently needed to send more personnel to the B Prison Area to watch over the convicts.
But how could it be easy to recruit powerful experts to serve as Prison Chiefs on such short notice?
It was impossible to find anyone in such a short amount of time.
So, after much deliberation, they had decided to have Prison Chiefs from the C Prison Area transfer to the B-Class Prison to fill the vacancies for the time being.
On this day, Su Bai wasn’t the only one to receive a letter from the higher-ups of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Many other Prison Chiefs received one as well.
The letter mentioned that any Prison Chief who volunteered to transfer to the B Prison Area would receive a generous reward.
However, those chosen by lottery would receive no such benefit.
Unlike Su Bai, the other Prison Chiefs’ brows furrowed deeply upon reading the letter.
They were filled with worry and a sense of helplessness.
The convicts held in the B Prison Area were in a completely different league from those in the C Prison Area.
’In a dangerous place like that, it’s impossible to survive without a profound Martial Arts Cultivation!’
’This assignment is a death sentence!’
But Su Bai was overjoyed.
’I’ve been worrying about how to gain a large amount of Experience Points!’
’I can’t believe such a great opportunity just fell into my lap!’
Su Bai tossed the letter aside, his decision made.
He was going to volunteer to enter the B Prison Area.
