Jinyiwei Imperial Prison

Jinyiwei Imperial Prison

Bai Yan immediately responded inwardly:

"Claim!"

Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the max-level Talisman of Life and Death.

The reward is being issued...

Issuance complete.

A flood of information appeared in Bai Yan's mind, encompassing everything from the Talisman of Life and Death's circulation method to its profound essentials.

After a few breaths, Bai Yan's mastery of the Talisman of Life and Death instantly reached the maximum level.

The Talisman of Life and Death was the exclusive hidden weapon of Childlike Maiden of Heavenly Mountain, Palace Master of the Spirit Vulture Palace of the Free and Unfettered Sect.

Those struck by it suffered unending, excruciating itching and pain, growing worse with every passing day. It made them unable to live or die, placing them at the mercy of the person who had cast the talisman—hence its name, the Talisman of Life and Death.

Unlike Golden Darts, throwing knives, or golden needles, this hidden weapon was essentially liquor, water, or some other liquid.

As long as the practitioner circulated their qi in reverse, turning yang energy into yin energy and making the true qi issuing from their palm several times colder than ice, they could freeze the liquid in their hand into ice and transform it into a Talisman of Life and Death, which could then be shot into an enemy's body.

If cultivated to perfection, it was even possible to condense the moisture in the air into ice shards and use them as Talismans of Life and Death.

The mysteries of the Talisman of Life and Death went far beyond this.

For example, different methods of launching the Talisman of Life and Death produced entirely different effects.

On that tiny sliver of thin ice, how one attached hard yang internal force, how one attached soft yin internal force—

and whether one infused it with three parts yang and seven parts yin, or four parts yang and six parts yin—all of this required specialized techniques to manipulate.

Though there were only two kinds of energy, yin and yang, the order in which they were applied differed, and so did their quantities. Following one's whim, the variations were myriad.

Every Talisman of Life and Death created by a different method required a specific technique to dispel it. It was truly the foremost hidden weapon in the world for subduing people.

Using the Talisman of Life and Death to extract confessions was far more effective than Bai Yan directly sealing acupoints with internal force to force a confession.

What a fine hidden weapon!

Bai Yan marveled inwardly.

In Bai Yan's view, martial arts had neither good nor bad, nor were they divided into righteous and evil.

Used righteously, they were righteous; used evilly, they were evil.

Although the Talisman of Life and Death was vicious beyond measure and would earn the contempt of the righteous path the moment it was used, Bai Yan did not care in the slightest.

Just like his usual way of doing things, he let his edge shine and stood firm and unyielding.

If it was useful, then nothing was forbidden.

Back in the main hall of the Thousand-Household Office, Zheng Haihan sat in the seat of honor and instructed Bai Yan:

"Bai Yan, I'll leave the interrogation to you."

"You must pry valuable clues out of Xiao Yiping and Su Leng Huan."

"Yes, this subordinate accepts the order."

Bai Yan clasped his fists in salute, then turned and strode away.

After leaving the Thousand-Household Office, Bai Yan immediately summoned Ren Hong and Li Kaiyao.

"Let's go to the Imperial Prison."

The Jinyiwei Imperial Prison was located in the southeastern corner of the Northern Commandery Investigation Bureau. On the surface, it was a two-story square building, but underground it had seven full levels.

The first level imprisoned local government officials below the fourth rank.

The second level imprisoned Yongtang officials of the fourth rank and above.

The third level imprisoned bandits and roving outlaws below the Inborn realm.

The fourth level imprisoned martial artists of the Inborn realm and Imperial Court generals.

The fifth level imprisoned peak experts of the Grandmaster realm.

The sixth level imprisoned peerless experts of the Grandmaster realm.

As for the seventh level, its exact purpose was unknown. Throughout the entire Northern Commandery Investigation Bureau, only a handful of people had ever visited the seventh level of the Imperial Prison.

To enter the seventh level, one needed the emperor's decree.

This was Bai Yan's first time visiting the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison. The moment he entered, he felt a frigid, sinister chill rush toward him.

The temperature here was at least ten degrees lower than outside.

The Jinyiwei Imperial Prison extended deep underground and saw no sunlight year-round, making it cool and damp, with an extremely heavy yin atmosphere.

After staying in such a place for too long, even a sturdy, healthy man would become ill.

The Jinyiwei warriors guarding the Imperial Prison were all pale-faced and gaunt.

None of these men would live very long. Anyone who reached forty was considered long-lived.

Unless they could break through to the Inborn realm, using innate True Essence to open their meridians and circulate their qi and blood while warding off the cold yin energy, their lifespans were doomed to be short.

In contrast, the Jinyiwei warriors guarding the Imperial Prison were somewhat safer. They did not need to worry about dying at the hands of evildoers, since they did not need to fight anyone.

That safety, however, came at the cost of their lifespans.

It was not that no one had ever dared to raid the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison, but since the founding of the Great Yu Dynasty, it had happened only a handful of times.

And only one person had truly managed to escape the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison.

"Does my lord know who that peerless criminal was—the one who escaped the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison?"

Ren Hong walked behind Bai Yan and could not help asking.

Bai Yan said calmly:

"That man was the former Cult Master of the Demonic Cult, Yu Chi Feng."

"That happened more than forty years ago. Whether Yu Chi Feng is alive or dead now has long been unknown."

The matter was recorded in the Jinyiwei archives, but only officers of at least the Hundred-Household rank could consult them. Thus, neither Ren Hong nor Li Kaiyao knew about it.

Led by a warrior, the three of them arrived before a cell on the fifth underground level of the Imperial Prison.

Su Leng Huan was imprisoned here.

However, she had been seriously wounded by Zheng Haihan earlier and was still unconscious.

"Why haven't you woken her yet?"

Ren Hong looked at the Imperial Prison warrior and gave the order.

"Yes, yes, this subordinate obeys."

The warrior did not dare delay. He hurriedly brought over a bucket and poured a bucket of cold water over Su Leng Huan's head.

Li Kaiyao was quick to read the situation and brought over a chair for Bai Yan to sit on.

Another Imperial Prison warrior respectfully offered him a cup of hot tea.

"Cough, cough, cough—!"

After several violent coughs, Su Leng Huan woke groggily.

She opened her eyes and struggled a few times, only to discover that she was bound to a cross-shaped round beam.

The major acupoints throughout her body had long since been sealed with Golden Needles, leaving her unable to circulate even a trace of true qi.

Su Leng Huan saw a brazier on the floor ahead. The coals inside blazed fiercely, and sparks occasionally leaped from the basin with sharp crackling sounds.

Several branding irons lay in the brazier, already glowing red from the heat.

Then Su Leng Huan looked around the cell and saw a table in the corner.

Dozens of knives, large and small, were arranged neatly on the table. They came in all shapes, some straight and some curved, with dark-red bloodstains still clinging to their edges. They were all torture implements used for interrogation.

There were also gripping staffs, leather whips, spiked clubs, and every other common instrument.

Beside the table stood several large interrogation devices, such as the tiger bench, iron chair, iron rocking horse, cat's claws, and countless others.

Every torture implement radiated a chilling menace that made people shudder at the sight.

A timid person would need only one glance before wetting themselves in terror.

"Awake?"

Bai Yan lounged back in his chair, calmly watching Su Leng Huan as he slowly took a sip of tea.

Su Leng Huan glanced up at Bai Yan, let out a disdainful cold laugh, then turned her head away, unwilling to spare him even another look.

"How dare you! Do you know what kind of place this is?"

Seeing her insolence, Ren Hong immediately shouted angrily:

"This is the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison! You still dare put on airs after arriving here? You truly have no idea whether you're dead or alive!"

Bai Yan waved a hand, signaling for him to calm down, and said mildly:

"Our Grandmaster from the Demonic Cult is visiting the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison for the first time. She doesn't understand the rules, so she's been a little insolent."

"Since she doesn't understand the rules, why don't you teach her?"