The Divine Prison Was an Inexhaustible Treasure Trove
Dinner was eaten in a stone room on the outermost side of the first floor. A dozen young prison guards sat around a long table with several bowls of vegetables that were devoid of oil and a basket of cakes so hard they could crack walnuts.
Chen Du sat in the corner, eating a pancake with a bowl of cold water, listening to the intermittent complaints of his peers.
"This godforsaken place! If it weren't for the fact that the monthly pay is three times what it is outside, I wouldn't come here even if you killed me." A round-faced jailer slammed his chopsticks on the table and said in a low voice, "My father was a jailer, my grandfather was too, and my great-grandfather was too. It's my turn now. If I don't come, my whole family will starve."
A tall, thin man chimed in, his voice even lower. "It's an inherited fate, just accept it. I'd like to leave, but where can I go? There's no such good job out there. As long as nothing goes wrong, the salary is paid on time every month, and you can retire at fifty. If you're lucky, you might even become a minor steward."
"Nothing's wrong?" The round-faced jailer sneered, looked around, and continued, "Do you know that big snake in the third cell block? When I first came here, it wasn't chained up so tightly. Once, the chain loosened by half an inch, and it just flicked its tongue. The gust of wind from that tongue swept an old jailer into it."
When they pulled the person out, there wasn't a single patch of good flesh on their body; their bones were shattered to pieces. That was while it was locked up. If it had really broken free, none of us on this floor would have escaped."
There was a moment of silence on the table.
The tall, thin man chimed in, "Have you heard how many people that Bone Ape in the seventh prison district has eaten? My master told me that when it was out there, it devoured three entire cities in one night—three cities! Men, women, children, and even livestock were not spared."
Later, it was only after the Divine Dynasty dispatched a powerful figure at the Tenth Realm that it was captured. Even after being imprisoned here, it still refused to give up.
My master said that it could actually break free of the chains, but it doesn't. It's waiting, waiting for the day when the formation of the Divine Prison breaks down, so it can devour everyone here piece by piece. Unfortunately, it's just wishful thinking. The Divine Prison suppresses far too many demons stronger than itself.
Another older guard put down his chopsticks, looked around at the young faces, and said in a deep voice, "Remember, when you patrol here, just patrol. Don't be curious. Whatever you see or hear, pretend you didn't see or hear it."
Even when locked up, those powerful demons and vicious criminals possess a malevolent aura that can corrupt one's mind and spirit. If you get too close and are struck by that aura, you will lose yourself; at best, you will go mad, and at worst, you will die a violent death.
A few days ago, that guy surnamed Sun just glanced at something a few more times and stood there a little longer during his patrol. He went back home, developed a high fever, and started talking nonsense, saying a big snake was calling him. Heavenly Human.
Chen Du silently ate his pancake, memorizing every word these people said.
The giant python in the third cell block, the Bone Ape in the seventh cell block.
Even when locked up, those at the Sixth Realm and Seventh Realms are still so ferocious.
This Divine Prison has a total of eighteen levels. The first level is already like this; what will be imprisoned on the tenth and eighteenth levels?
Even if those beings were left with only a breath of life, they could probably annihilate these prison guards.
He swallowed the last bite of the bread and dispersed with the crowd.
Back in the tiny stone room assigned to him, he closed the door and leaned against the wall to wait.
Once the footsteps in the corridor had completely disappeared and the lights had dimmed one by one, he slowly pushed open the door and swaggered out.
The first level of the Divine Prison at night is even colder and more gloomy than during the day. The flames of oil lamps shrink to the size of beans, and the darkness in the depths of the corridor is so thick that it cannot be dissolved.
Chen Du retraced the route taken during the day, stopping only when he reached the deepest part of the first floor, some distance from the central area.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, placing his palm against a stone wall. [Become a Saint on the Spot] activated!
The Dao Resonance seeped out from the depths of the stone wall, like a sudden gasp of cold air on a winter night.
Over millions of years, the struggles and resentments left behind by countless prisoners when they were escorted through this place, the aura accumulated by countless guards when they were on duty here, the lingering effects of the array's operation, and the clanging of the chains all transformed into a warm Power of Dao Resonance that surged into his sea of consciousness.
Immediately afterwards, he activated [The World as a Book], and the Dao Resonance surged, intertwined, and condensed in his sea of consciousness as if guided by an invisible hand.
A moment later, a cultivation technique slowly took shape deep within his sea of consciousness.
The "Dragon-Tiger Netherworld Prison Art" is Ninth Tier cultivation method. Chen Du only glanced at it briefly, and his pupils contracted slightly.
This technique actually contains a Lower Second-Level Law.
Its law is called "Netherworld Prison Soul Lock," which uses the Nether Prison Power to lock the enemy's soul, rendering them unable to move and at the mercy of others. Its power is far greater than the ordinary laws he had previously comprehended in the Celestial Master Realm.
He slowly exhaled, a profound and indescribable tremor surging within him.
This is only the first level of the Divine Prison, and we haven't even reached the center yet.
In the outermost corner of the first layer, one can use Dao Resonance to condense a Ninth Tier cultivation technique containing Lower Second-Level Law.
What about the second layer?
What about the fifth floor?
What about the tenth floor?
What about the eighteenth floor?
This Divine Prison is itself an inexhaustible treasure trove of cultivation techniques.
He withdrew his hand, firmly imprinted the contents of the "Dragon-Tiger Netherworld Prison Art" into his sea of consciousness, and then turned and walked towards his stone house.
As night deepened and darkness enveloped the depths of the corridor, those golden, vertical pupils opened once more.
For the next few days, Chen Du patrolled with Old Zhou during the day and went out at night.
He didn't rush things; he stayed in one place each time, carefully sensing and slowly gathering strength.
The first level of the Divine Prison was vast, and it took him several nights to find the three locations with the strongest Dao Resonance.
The first location is at the end of the eastern prison area.
There, Netherworld Prison Giant Python, whose lifespan was unknown, was imprisoned. It was entirely black, with scales as hard as iron.
Chen Du stood before the stone wall outside the cell, his palm pressed against the wall, activating [Become a Saint on the Spot]. Dao Resonance surged from the depths of the stone wall, carrying a cold and heavy aura.
The [The World as a Book] coalesced, and after a moment, a scroll of cultivation techniques took shape in his sea of consciousness.
The Netherworld Prison Dragon Python Art, Ninth Tier. It contains a Lower Second-Level Law called "Netherworld Prison Soul Lock".
Using the Nether Prison Power to lock the enemy's soul, once it is entangled, it is like a python strangling and cannot be broken free. Compared with the "Supreme Purple Divine Sky Five Thunders Slaying Evil Divine Mantra" in the Celestial Master Realm, this technique is less righteous and grand, but more sinister and vicious.
However, in terms of rank and the sophistication of its rules, it is far superior.
The second location is an abandoned array node on the west side. It was once one of the earliest array eyes in the first level of the Divine Prison. Later, the array was changed and the old array was abandoned, but the suppressing power of thousands of years still settled deep in the stone foundation.
Chen Du squatted beside the array's core, pressing his palm against the cold stone base, [Become a Saint on the Spot], his Dao Resonance surging like a tide.
The [The World as a Book], condensed into a scroll.
The "Prison-Suppressing Qi-Breaking Scripture" is Ninth Tier technique containing a Lower Second-Level Law called "Qi-Breaking." It uses the power of the prison to shake the enemy's Qi, and with one strike, it can completely shatter the opponent's protective Qi.
Compared to the "Taiqing Feathering and Ascension Celestial Master's Treasure Scripture" in the Celestial Master Realm, this technique does not cultivate the Dao body but focuses on killing and is extremely fierce.
The third location is next to a dry well on the north side.
The well had long since dried up, but its walls were soaked with the resentment of countless prisoners and the suppressive power of the guards over the years. The eerie atmosphere at the bottom of the well was so thick that even Old Zhou avoided it.
Chen Du sat down by the well, his palms pressed against the stone wall of the well rim.
[Become a Saint on the Spot], [The World as a Book], exerting power once more, condensing into the scroll "Resentful Soul Spirit-Devouring Art," Ninth Tier. Containing a Lower Second-Level Law named "Spirit Devouring."
Using resentment as a catalyst, it devours the enemy's spiritual power and soul; the more intense the battle, the stronger this technique becomes.
Compared to the "Cloud-Water Heart-Cleansing Spirit-Refining Great Method" in the Celestial Master Realm, one cleanses the heart and refines the spirit, while the other Spirit Devouring and steals it; one is righteous, the other is evil.
Chen Du absorbed the three techniques into his mind one by one, and the shock in his heart lingered for a long time.
When he was in the Celestial Master Realm, it took him a great deal of effort and sixty years of study to master a Ninth Tier cultivation technique.
However, in the first level of this Divine Prison, within just a few days, in three different places, there were three Ninth Tier cultivation techniques, each containing a Lower Second-Level Law.
This is only the outer perimeter of the first floor. We haven't been to the real central area yet.
The entrance to the second floor was blocked by an array along the patrol route, and Old Zhou said that a steward's token was needed to open it.
Even just from the outer perimeter, the depth of this Divine Prison far exceeded his expectations.
He repeatedly went through the three techniques in his mind, then got up, dusted off his knees, and walked towards his stone house.
In the darkness deep within the corridor, the golden vertical pupil opened again, glanced at him, and then closed again.