17: Chapter 17 Do You Dare to Cultivate the Demonic Cult's Techniques?

Section C cell block.

Dark red water stains seeped from the stone walls on both sides of the corridor, and the air was thick with the smell of stale blood.

Chen Ran carried a heavy wooden food bucket, his cloth shoes making a slight splashing sound as he stepped on the slippery blue bricks.

[Interrogated prisoner Lei Laohu, participation level increased]

[Reward obtained: Cultivation Technique "Mad Tiger Saber Technique"]

Deep within his Dantian, a hot stream of light suddenly exploded, rushing up his spine straight to the crown of his head.

Chen Ran's footsteps paused slightly as the image of a giant tiger surfaced in his mind.

The giant tiger was perched atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood; it suddenly descended the mountain, bringing with it a tragic and extreme Evil Qi.

The saber momentum was fierce and powerful, every move reflecting a fatal determination with no hope of survival.

He composed himself, his fingertips brushing the edge of the food bucket as he continued forward.

There were only ten cells in total in Section C, and the rest were empty. Most of the prisoners there had been executed; those who survived were generally not guilty of capital crimes.

Excluding the newly arrived Lei Laohu, there were only two cells in the entire Section C that were still occupied.

Therefore, guarding Section C was considered a leisurely job with a decent salary, a bit of a perk.

Behind the fine iron bars of the left cell, two identical-looking men were squatting in the corner.

They wore tattered prison uniforms, their eyes darting around like startled rats.

[Names: Da Ji, Xiao Ji (Aliases)]

[Realm: Ninth Grade]

[Sin Value: Light Red]

[Life Story: Twin swindlers who partnered to defraud several powerful figures; they were exposed and arrested due to an uneven distribution of the spoils.]

Chen Ran glanced at them.

The two were huddled together whispering; seeing Chen Ran approach, they immediately shut their mouths.

"Officer, give us a drink of water."

One of them leaned against the bars, his cracked lips trembling slightly.

Chen Ran remained expressionless and didn't even stop.

Swindlers like these who lived by their wits had no profit to be squeezed out; it was a pure waste of rations.

He walked straight to the end of the corridor.

The cell here was relatively dry, and a faint morning light filtered through the iron window.

Behind the iron window, an old man with white hair and a white beard sat cross-legged.

Despite being imprisoned, his faded white prison uniform was neatly kept, and his back was straight as a ramrod, like an ancient sword in its scabbard.

[Name: Su Yuanshan]

[Realm: None]

[Sin Value: White]

[Life Story: Formerly a Great Wei Censor, he was falsely accused and imprisoned for impeaching powerful officials for colluding with the Demonic Cult.]

Chen Ran set down the food bucket, took out two coarse flour buns, and dropped them into the iron bowl.

The iron bowl hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Lord Su, time to eat."

Su Yuanshan slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were clear and deep, without a trace of dejection or resentment.

"I am no longer a 'Lord'. Young man, you may call me by my name."

Su Yuanshan reached out and picked up a bun, his movements refined as if he were sitting in the Golden Throne Room attending a state banquet.

Chen Ran leaned against the cold stone wall, watching him.

"Section C is where Devil Heads who kill and burn are kept. Can a scholar like you, Old Su, get used to it?"

Su Yuanshan took a bite of the hard, dry bun, chewed it carefully, and swallowed.

"If there are no ghosts in one's heart, any place can be a place of peace."

He looked up at Chen Ran and gave a self-deprecating smile.

"On the contrary, young man, it's a pity for you to be working in such a gloomy place at such a young age."

Chen Ran stared at the pure white glow above the man's head.

In this man-eating Celestial Prison, such a color was rarer than gold.

Chen Ran picked up the food bucket and walked toward the exit without looking back.

"Leave the peaceful place to you, Old Su. A vulgar person like me only wants something practical."

...

Cell Block D, Jiang Mengli's cell.

Chen Ran pulled up a small stool and sat grandly outside the bars.

He unwrapped a large oil-paper package, and the rich aroma of grease instantly exploded in the narrow corridor.

It was the famous "Dejuquan" roast duck from the capital.

The duck skin was roasted to a golden crisp, still dripping with glistening fat.

Chen Ran tore off a duck leg and took a large bite.

The crispy skin cracked between his teeth with a sharp sound, and rich juices flowed down the corners of his mouth.

Jiang Mengli had been sitting cross-legged on the straw mat with her eyes closed to rest; now her nostrils twitched, and her beautiful eyes suddenly snapped open.

She stared fixedly at the roast duck in Chen Ran's hand, her throat involuntarily bobbing.

"Chen Ran, you're doing this on purpose."

Jiang Mengli's voice was cold, but it carried a hint of unavoidable annoyance.

Chen Ran tore off another piece of duck breast and chewed it with relish.

"Saintess Jiang, after I was promoted to Leader, I specifically asked someone to bring this in from outside."

"The rancid food in this prison can't compare to the fragrance of this, can it?"

He deliberately waved the roast duck in front of Jiang Mengli.

Jiang Mengli gave a cold snort and forced herself to turn her head away.

"Despicable man."

Chen Ran smiled and shoved the remaining half of the roast duck, along with the oil-paper package, through the bars.

"Just teasing you. Eat up."

"The rules here are strict. If I hadn't been promoted, I wouldn't have been able to bring this in at all."

Jiang Mengli looked at the roast duck before her and hesitated for a moment.

Ultimately, the hunger in her stomach overcame the Saintess's reserve.

She reached out with her slender fingers, tore off a small piece of meat, and put it in her mouth.

The moment the grease exploded on her tongue, a fleeting look of satisfaction appeared on her cold face.

Chen Ran didn't speak; he stood up, fetched a basin of clean water, and took out a clean towel.

"Wash up after you eat. You're the dignified Red Lotus Holy Maiden, yet you've made yourself look like a little stray cat."

He handed the wet towel through the bars.

Jiang Mengli took the towel and carefully wiped the grime from her face.

A moment later, that peerless countenance, capable of bringing chaos to the world, was revealed once more.

She looked at Chen Ran, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

"Chen Ran, what do you want?"

Chen Ran stared at the runic chains on her body, his gaze becoming sharp.

"I want more powerful Cultivation Techniques."

"Ordinary techniques are too slow; I can't wait."

Jiang Mengli was silent for a long time, the corners of her mouth suddenly curling into a dangerous arc.

"The Advanced techniques of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult—do you dare to practice them?"

Chen Ran patted the Leader's token at his waist, which made a dull metallic clinking sound.

"In this Celestial Prison, there is nothing I don't dare to do."

Jiang Mengli's red lips parted slightly as she recited a string of obscure and difficult formulas.

"This is the general outline of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture. If anything goes wrong during cultivation, it can lead to self-immolation, burning of the Meridians, and Qi Deviation..."

"Oh, is that so?"

Chen Ran closed his eyes, and within his mind, the [heavenly book of prison suppression] shone with golden light, its pages flipping frantically.

[Detected Advanced Cultivation Technique 'Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture', record it?]

"Record."

Chen Ran muttered in his heart.

In the next moment, his body's blood and Qi began to circulate according to an eerie and violent path.

Jiang Mengli had been waiting to see Chen Ran collapse in pain, but she found that the man's aura suddenly changed.

A wave of scorching air erupted from Chen Ran's body, and the surrounding air was distorted by the high temperature.

Vaguely, an illusory red lotus flashed behind his back.

"You..."

Jiang Mengli's eyes widened in surprise.

This time, she had clearly only given him a partial fragment; logically, this person should not have been able to successfully Cultivate it.

And yet, the fact was that Chen Ran had actually succeeded.

Though it was faint, it truly possessed the unique characteristics of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire.

Chen Ran opened his eyes.

"Thanks."

He stood up and left, his footsteps steady and powerful.

Jiang Mengli stared at his back, a storm of shock brewing in her heart.

Such talent was unheard of, even during the peak of the Demonic Cult.

...

Jailer's private room.

Chen Ran sat cross-legged, fifty-one years of cultivation roaring wildly within his body.

[Guarded the Celestial Prison for one day, obtained 1 year of cultivation.]

[Current accumulated cultivation: Fifty-one years.]

The Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture was like a red-hot key, completely unlocking the treasure house within his body.

The originally indestructible barrier of the Seventh Grade instantly collapsed under the impact of the Karmic Fire Internal Energy.

Boom!

A muffled sound like thunder came from inside Chen Ran's body.

His bones began to vibrate violently, and their originally dull metallic luster gradually turned into a warm, jade-like green.

Bone Forging Realm, achieved!

A terrifying aura centered on him and spread wildly in all directions.

The tables and chairs in the room were overturned by this wave of air, and the oil lamp was instantly extinguished.

Inside the Cell Block D, the originally noisy prisoners instantly fell silent.

They felt a pressure coming from the depths of their Souls, and one by one, they huddled in the corners trembling, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Jiang Mengli suddenly looked up toward the distance.

"This aura... how is it possible?"

Her eyes were full of disbelief.

Above the Celestial Prison, in the Commandant's office.

Li Changfeng suddenly woke up from his bed, rolled out, and his right hand gripped the hilt of the saber at his waist.

"Such strong Internal Energy fluctuations."

He pushed open the window and looked down at the prison area, his face dark as water.

"Someone, come!"

Several jailers ran over in a hurry, the clatter of their armor echoing in the hallway.

"Go and investigate exactly what happened inside the Celestial Prison!"

"Check every cell, every jailer—get me a clear answer!"

Li Changfeng stared at the entrance to the prison area in the darkness, his eyes sinister.

He felt that this Celestial Prison, which had been peaceful for so long, was about to undergo a major change.