5: Chapter 5 You don't want your secret to be known by others, do you?

It had been three days since the Red Lotus Witch was imprisoned.

During these three days, the Celestial Prison had been strangely quiet—so quiet it made one's skin crawl.

He had expected a bloodbath, or at least for the big shots of the Demon Suppression Division to take turns interrogating her.

The result?

Absolutely nothing.

Those big figures seemed to have collective amnesia, tossing this hot potato into the Cell Block D and ignoring it.

Even Captain Wang had rarely shown his face these past few days, as if he were avoiding something.

"When things are this strange, there's bound to be a catch."

Chen Ran sat in the jailer's room, playing with a rusty key in his hand, his brow slightly furrowed.

This eerie silence made him sniff out a hint of conspiracy.

What kind of place was the Cell Block D?

It was the "starter village" for ordinary prisoners.

The defenses were lax, and the jailers' strength was low.

To lock a demonic cult Saintess here and leave her unattended—no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like... fishing?

"Are they trying to use us as bait to lure the Red Lotus Demonic Cult into a prison break?"

Chen Ran felt a chill in his heart.

If that were the case, wouldn't the jailers of the Cell Block D become cannon fodder?

"As expected, no matter the world, the lives of bottom-tier workers aren't considered lives."

Chen Ran sighed, his determination to lay low and develop his strength growing even firmer.

Only by becoming stronger could he survive the impending storm.

At this thought, he stood up and carried the rice bucket toward the depths of the prison cells.

Today, he had a small goal to accomplish.

Cell Thirteen of the Cell Block D.

Locked inside was an unremarkable-looking old man nicknamed "Ghost Hand," a habitual thief.

This old man didn't have much skill, but his hands were fast, and he was extremely good at concealing his presence.

It was said he once sneaked into the Imperial Palace to steal delicacies from the Imperial Kitchen and was only discovered after finishing them, yet he still managed to escape unscathed—until he eventually tripped up because he was caught peeping at noblewomen bathing.

Chen Ran walked to the front of the cell.

Ghost Hand was huddled in a corner, his eyes glowing green with hunger.

"Young man... have mercy... give me a bite to eat..."

Seeing Chen Ran, Ghost Hand acted as if he'd seen his own father, scrambling and crawling to the bars.

Chen Ran looked at him and smiled slightly.

"Want to eat?"

"Yes, yes!" Ghost Hand nodded frantically, drool practically leaking out.

"Want to eat your fill?"

"Yes! I dream of it!"

Chen Ran pulled a greaseproof paper package from his robe and opened it to reveal a succulent, roasted chicken dripping with fat.

He had specifically spent several days' salary to buy it from outside.

To boost his participation level, he was really going all out.

Ghost Hand's eyes instantly fixed on it, his Adam's apple bobbing frantically.

"Is... is it for me?"

"Eat."

Chen Ran handed the roasted chicken inside.

Ghost Hand snatched it and began devouring it ravenously, even chewing up the bones and swallowing them.

Seeing his "starved ghost reincarnated" appearance, Chen Ran thought to himself.

"System, view panel."

"[Prisoner: Li Jinlian (Ghost Hand)]"

"[Realm: Ninth Grade Skin Refining Perfection]"

"[Sins: Low]"

"[Status: Hungry (Alleviated)]"

"[Wish: Eat a full meal (Completed)]"

"[Participation Level: Medium (Fulfilled his wish, gained gratitude)]"

As Ghost Hand let out a full burp, a golden light flashed before Chen Ran's eyes.

"[Calculating participation level...]"

"[Reward Obtained: Half a year's worth of cultivation power]"

"[Cultivation Technique Obtained: Breath Concealment Technique (Major Achievement)]"

Boom!

A warm current surged into his body, and Chen Ran felt his internal Qi grow stronger once again.

More importantly, an extra set of memories regarding the Breath Concealment Technique appeared in his mind.

Although this technique had no offensive power, it could withdraw one's aura into the body to perfectly hide one's presence and Realm.

As long as he didn't reveal it himself, even a Martial Artist with high cultivation would find it difficult to see through his background.

"Good stuff!"

Chen Ran was ecstatic.

With this, hiding his cultivation would be easy from now on.

Otherwise, at his current rate of progress, the daily changes would be immense and could potentially expose him.

He tried to circulate the Breath Concealment Technique.

A set of extremely familiar memories flooded his mind, and Chen Ran let out a muffled groan.

In the memories, he had practiced this technique for years, until it had nearly become instinct.

Instantly, the blood-qi fluctuations belonging to a Ninth Grade Martial Artist vanished without a trace, and he looked just like an ordinary Mortal.

Even his sense of presence diminished significantly.

"Perfect."

Chen Ran nodded with satisfaction.

With this disguise, unless someone made close contact and scanned him carefully, they wouldn't be able to tell his depth from his appearance alone.

"As expected of a man who could come and go as he pleased in the Imperial Kitchen; this technique is likely not simple."

Chen Ran took one last deep look at Ghost Hand, feeling that this person's identity was not simple and that he could come back to investigate more later...

But he couldn't worry about that much for now; his own life was more important.

Thinking of that enchantress, Chen Ran whispered in his heart.

"I'll use her to test how effective this is..."

Carrying the empty bucket, he walked silently toward Cell Seven.

At this moment.

Inside Cell Seven.

The Red Lotus Witch was closing her eyes, attempting to break the Seal inside her body.

Although hope was slim, she would never just sit and wait for death.

Suddenly.

A figure appeared outside the bars without any warning.

There were no footsteps, no sound of breathing, and not even the slightest change in the airflow.

It was as if he had appeared out of thin air.

The Red Lotus Witch snapped her eyes open, startled.

Her cultivation was currently sealed, and her perception was nowhere near what it used to be—at most, it was only slightly better than an ordinary person's.

"Who's there?!"

She focused her gaze and realized it was that little jailer.

"It's you?"

A trace of surprise and suspicion flashed in the Red Lotus Witch's eyes.

This brat's aura... why has so much of it vanished?

Just a few days ago, she could clearly feel that restless blood-qi on him, so why was he like a dead man today?

Could he have been hiding his strength before?

Or perhaps... he practiced some kind of concealment technique?

Chen Ran looked at her "seen a ghost" expression and felt a bit more relaxed.

That's it.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

"Lady, it's broad daylight; don't be so jumpy."

Chen Ran's tone was flat, as if the one who had just startled her wasn't him.

The Red Lotus Witch took a deep breath, suppressing the doubts in her heart.

She put on a charming expression again and said coquettishly:

"Little brother, why do you walk without making a sound? You scared me to death."

"My chest hurts so much; why don't you help me rub it?"

As she spoke, she deliberately puffed out her chest, and beneath her tattered red clothes, a glimpse of snow-white skin was visible.

If it were any ordinary man, his nose would likely be gushing blood by now.

But who was Chen Ran?

A man who valued his own life above all else.

He watched the Red Lotus Witch's performance expressionlessly, his heart completely unmoved, and he even felt a bit like laughing.

"Your chest hurts?"

Chen Ran nodded.

"That's an illness; it needs treatment."

Red Lotus Witch: "..."

I'm seducing you! Can't you give some kind of reaction?

The Red Lotus Witch felt that her charm techniques had suffered an unprecedented insult.

She gritted her teeth and continued unwillingly:

"Little brother, you really don't understand romance."

"As long as you let me out, not only will I teach you divine arts, but I can also... offer myself to you."

She threw him a wink, fully charged with allure.

Chen Ran remained unmoved.

He activated the Eye of Investigation and looked above the Red Lotus Witch's head.

"[Prisoner: Jiang Mengli (Former Dynasty Princess)]"

"[Realm: Fifth Grade Vessel Opening (Sealed)]"

"[Sins: Low (Driven by circumstances, eager for restoration)]"

"[Status: Weak (Sealed)]"

"[Cultivation Techniques: Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture, Heavenly Demon Dance...]"

Looking at that long list of luxurious skills, Chen Ran's eyes lit up.

A Former Dynasty Princess?

This identity was quite interesting.

No wonder the Demon Suppression Division took her so seriously; she was a remnant of the former dynasty.

And looking at the sin evaluation, she didn't seem to be an unpardonable devil.

"Driven by circumstances, huh..."

Chen Ran mused.

However, that didn't stop him from continuing to "pluck wool."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the Red Lotus Witch, saying flatly:

"Save it."

"Your charm techniques are useless on me."

"Besides, I'm not interested in old aunties."

Red Lotus Witch: "???"

Old auntie?!

I'm only eighteen this year!

You're the old auntie! Your whole family are old aunties!

The Red Lotus Witch's chest heaved violently with anger, almost causing her to spit out a mouthful of blood.

This brat has such a poisonous tongue!

Seeing her frustrated look, Chen Ran felt in high spirits.

"Alright, stop acting."

"I know who you are, and I know what you're trying to do."

Chen Ran suddenly lowered his voice, leaned closer to the bars, and said mysteriously:

"Your Highness, you wouldn't want others to know your secret, would you?"

The Red Lotus Witch's pupils constricted sharply.

How did he know?!

This secret—even the people from the Demon Suppression Division might not know it!

This little jailer, just who on earth is he?!

Looking into Chen Ran's deep eyes, the Red Lotus Witch felt a trace of panic for the first time.

This seemingly ordinary little jailer was definitely not as simple as he appeared.