46: Chapter 46 Black-Faced Ghost Spider, a Demon Clan's Supernatural Power!

A cold wind surged up from the depths of the tunnel, as if someone were hiding in the darkness, blowing cold air against everyone's ankles.

With Chen Ran leading the way, the remaining few jailers finally mustered the courage to follow.

"We've come this far, we can't just leave empty-handed."

A dark-faced jailer gave two harsh, dry laughs, rubbed his hands together, and feigned ease as he said,

"I heard that as long as you can last half an hour inside, you can join the internal affairs of the Demon Suppression Division once you come out. Although it's still just miscellaneous work, it's still a job at the Demon Suppression Division."

Another tall and thin jailer chimed in, "What's wrong with miscellaneous work? You could slave away in the Celestial Prison your whole life and never get ahead. Once you enter the Demon Suppression Division, if you're lucky and get noticed by the higher-ups, you might learn a move or two, and your path will open up in the future."

"I don't know about the path opening up."

The third person swallowed hard and glanced at the entrance, "I only know that this place below doesn't look like a place for humans."

As he finished speaking, he couldn't help but shiver.

While the men talked about their future, their voices were kept very low, as if afraid to disturb something below.

Chen Ran stood to the side, listening to their chatter with a calm expression.

These people could make it this far for only two reasons.

Either silver.

Or opportunity.

No matter how nicely they put it, they ultimately just wanted to climb higher.

There's nothing wrong with that.

To live is to fight for a wider path for oneself.

Deep inside the entrance, Centurion Zhao Wuji stood at the front, too lazy to listen to their nonsense, and said coldly.

"The assessment begins."

"Half an hour from now, those who can walk out on their own stay."

"Those who can't walk out—well, there's no need to come out at all."

As his voice fell, he raised his hand and waved.

The Demon Suppression Division officers guarding both sides immediately opened the iron gate.

With a click, the heavy iron lock sprang open.

The three of them looked at each other and had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue walking inside.

The tunnel was longer than imagined.

The walls were built entirely of dark, heavy stone bricks, with moisture seeping through the gaps.

Every so often, an oil lamp hung on both sides.

The lamplight was greenish, casting a sallow hue on everyone's faces.

The surroundings were excessively quiet.

So quiet that one could only hear footsteps and their own increasingly heavy breathing.

At the beginning, the group barely managed to stick together.

The dark-faced jailer kept looking back, whispering, "Don't separate, definitely don't separate. With more people, at least it's more reassuring."

The tall, thin jailer hummed in agreement, but his pace grew faster and faster, as if he couldn't wait to find the exit.

Chen Ran didn't speak, just quietly observing his surroundings by the dim lamplight.

This place didn't look like a normal prison tunnel.

It was too wide.

And too deep.

And there were many forks in the road.

After just a dozen steps forward, a fork appeared.

A few dozen steps later, another fork appeared.

Tunnels were layered within tunnels, like a great web buried underground.

"As expected of the deep layers of the Celestial Prison, it's just different from ordinary prison cells. If it were an ordinary person..."

The few jailers were already on edge, and after turning two corners, someone took the wrong path.

"Hey? Where is everyone?"

"Weren't you just behind me?"

"Don't scare me!"

After a burst of low exclamations, the figure in front flickered, and in the blink of an eye, only a swaying lamp remained.

The next moment, even the lamp disappeared.

Chen Ran stopped and looked left and right.

Everyone around him had vanished; at this moment, he was the only one left.

If it were anyone else, they would probably be terrified by now.

But Chen Ran felt somewhat relieved instead.

Now that he was alone, it was less troublesome.

He continued walking inside along the left passage, his steps unhurried, his expression quite relaxed, as if he weren't here for an assessment but just taking a stroll.

The deeper he went, the larger the prison cells became.

The previous Cell Block D cell was too cramped even for one adult man.

But the cells here looked like grottoes carved out of the heart of a mountain; let alone holding a person, they could easily hold a cow, a bear, or even a carriage with room to spare.

Chen Ran scanned the area, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

Ordinary prisoners certainly didn't need such large spaces.

Those who could be imprisoned here were mostly not "human."

As the thought arose, his footsteps suddenly paused.

In a cell ahead, the iron door was half-open.

It was empty inside.

Scattered on the ground were several blackened white bones, as if chewed up and spat out by something. In the corner hung layers of grayish-white spider silk, thin as mist, invisible unless looked at closely.

Suddenly, two points of eerie green light lit up in the darkness.

Chen Ran narrowed his eyes.

The next instant, a massive shadow slowly dangled down from the ceiling.

It was a giant spider!

Its entire body was pitch black, its eight long legs thicker than long spears, and its carapace was covered in dark purple patterns that looked like twisted human faces.

Its abdomen was swollen, and its mouthparts opened and closed, dripping viscous, transparent liquid onto the ground, which immediately hissed and corroded into small pits.

Cold, malicious, it stared at Chen Ran as if looking at food.

If it were a jailer who had just entered, just being stared at like this would make their legs go weak.

This was a monster!

But Chen Ran only watched for a few breaths, even feeling a bit intrigued.

"So it really does hold Yao monsters."

Just then, the spider monster lunged downwards violently.

The movement was extremely fast, with a foul wind rushing towards his face.

But just as it lunged halfway, a series of clanking chain sounds suddenly rang out in the Void Realm.

Several pitch-black chains tightened simultaneously from the stone walls, floor, and ceiling, binding its long legs and abdomen tightly, dragging its entire body back to its original position.

Bang!

The ground shook.

Dust fell in a flurry.

The spider monster hissed irritably, its eight long legs struggling wildly, causing the chains to rattle loudly, yet it couldn't break free at all.

Seeing this, Chen Ran took two steps forward, carefully examining the spider monster.

Seeing this ant not running away but instead approaching, the spider monster became even angrier, its mouthparts opening and closing, emitting a shrill, weird cry, its eerie green eyes full of ferocity.

Chen Ran was too lazy to even draw his blade.

Locked up like this, if it could still hurt someone, then the people of the Demon Suppression Division might as well quit.

Just then, his mind shook slightly.

A familiar, ancient Aura emerged.

The [heavenly book of prison suppression] opened silently.

Lines of text slowly appeared in his Sea of Consciousness.

[Prisoner: Black-faced Ghost Spider]

[Race: Yao]

[Cultivation: Rank Six Late Stage]

[Status: Severely Injured, Imprisoned]

[Sin: Devoured seventy-three living people, blood sacrificed two villages]

[Available Karma: Patrol, Guard, Feed, Execute]

[Available Rewards: Yao Body Essence, Innate Divine Ability]

Chen Ran's eyelids twitched.

As expected!

Monster count too!

He had only been guessing before, but now it was completely confirmed.

The [heavenly book of prison suppression] doesn't care if it's human or Yao, it only recognizes whether they are a prisoner.

At this, Chen Ran's heart warmed up a bit.

He continued to look down.

[This target has no Legacy Cultivation Technique]

[Available Absorption Path: Yao Race Innate Divine Ability]

[Currently Discoverable Talent: Heavenly Web]

Heavenly Web?

Chen Ran's gaze flickered.

The name sounded intimidating, but the book didn't detail its specific use.

But it didn't matter.

As long as he could get his hands on it, there would always be a chance to test it out later.

Especially since it was a Yao Race talent.

Human Race martial arts rely on Cultivation, while Yao Race Divine Ability is more like a skill carved into their bones.

If the [heavenly book of prison suppression] could even extract such things, that was a bit frightening.

The spider monster was still roaring.

The sound was so shrill it could pierce into one's ears; if it were an ordinary Rank Eight or Nine Martial Artist, their Qi and blood would be thrown into chaos after listening for a long time.

"You're a bit too fierce."

Chen Ran raised his eyelids slightly, and an incomparably terrifying Aura erupted from his body, sweeping through the entire cell like a tsunami.

With the Cultivation Technique and power he currently possessed, the combination far exceeded that of Martial Artists of the same rank by several times.

If it were an ordinary person with a weak physique, they would die bleeding from their seven orifices just from the impact of the Aura.

Crack.

The spider monster was struck as if by lightning, its entire body stiffening in place, trembling uncontrollably.

Gradually, its whole body curled into a ball, signaling submission.

"Good, I'll come see you again in a while."

Chen Ran patted the Black-faced Ghost Spider's head, and his figure gradually disappeared from the spot.