Lambs to the Slaughter

Chen Wang examined himself but found nothing wrong. Aside from the Confinement Character Rune on the back of his hand, everything seemed unchanged from before.

Gushe Fairy's beautiful eyes narrowed as she noticed the rune on Chen Wang's arm. Her heart jolted, and she drew in a sharp breath.

Seeing such an expression appear on this Fairy, who had always been unfailingly calculating and ethereal as a saint, sent an even colder chill through Chen Wang's heart.

Chen Wang asked calmly, "Fairy, do you recognize this rune?"

Gushe Fairy's expression shifted. At last, she sighed and said, "I do. Why is this Confinement Character Rune on the back of your hand?"

Chen Wang said, "Since you know this rune, do you know its origins?"

Gushe Fairy sighed. "Fellow Daoist, have you heard the old legend? A scroll of scripture once fell from the Immortal Realm into the mortal world. It was said that some bold youngster had stolen it down from above. He passed on the cultivation methods recorded within, causing an enormous upheaval in the Immortal Realm."

Chen Wang furrowed his brow. The next moment, he said in a deep voice, "This Confinement Character Rune came from that scripture?"

Gushe Fairy nodded. "That is correct. According to the records in that scripture, there are thirty-six Immortal Dao Runes, each representing a different meaning. No one knows what the scripture is truly for, nor what power the thirty-six runes possess when combined. Yet every person who inherited its teachings became a grandmaster who transcended the ordinary and entered sainthood in the Cultivation World. Now that this Confinement Character Rune has fallen into your hands, whether it is a blessing or a curse remains unknown."

Chen Wang's heart stirred. "If the scripture's records are so overbearing, why is it uncertain whether