53: Chapter 53 Clues and Hints, Forging a Golden Body!

In the Cell Block D area of the Celestial Prison, the torches on the walls flickered in the draft, stretching people's shadows long.

Lin Wan, wearing the dark red uniform of a Six Doors Constable with a long sword at her waist, stepped into the gloomy corridor.

She had just finished handling a murder case outside the city and, without even time for a drink of water, had rushed non-stop to the Celestial Prison to interrogate "Blood Hand" Shen Wanjun, who had been crippled by a mysterious expert.

Just as she reached the door of the Cell Block D, her footsteps paused slightly.

Outside the cell door stood a young jailer wearing the internal duty uniform of the Demon Suppression Division.

Chen Ran.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Lin Wan's eyes.

The two had been separated for several days; she hadn't expected to meet again in such an environment.

Previously, to investigate a case, she had used an alias to infiltrate the Celestial Prison, familiarizing herself with the environment under Chen Ran's guidance, and had endured plenty of eye-rolls and commands from this "old slippery fish."

She heard this kid was lucky; a few days ago he passed the internal selection of the Demon Suppression Division and became a member of the internal duty team, which was a good future.

She didn't expect to run into him here today.

Chen Ran heard footsteps and turned his head.

Seeing Lin Wan's iconic dark red uniform, he immediately lowered his head, cupped his hands, and performed a standard subordinate salute: "Greetings, Constable Lin."

His attitude was respectful, with not a single flaw to be found.

Looking at his obedient demeanor, the corner of Lin Wan's mouth curled up imperceptibly.

This kid, usually so slippery in the Celestial Prison, ordering her around with ease, was now so honest.

"He certainly doesn't know that the imposing Six Doors Constable before him is the same clumsy follower who trailed behind him a few days ago, whom he despised."

Lin Wan laughed to herself.

She was suddenly looking forward to the wonderful expression on his face when he eventually learned the truth.

"Open the door." Lin Wan composed herself, her voice cold and carrying the authority of a superior.

"Yes." Chen Ran took out the key from his waist and skillfully opened the heavy iron door of the Cell Block D.

Inside the cell, Shen Wanjun lay slumped on a pile of hay like a puddle of mud.

Hearing the movement of the iron door opening, he lifted his head with difficulty.

When he saw Lin Wan's dark red uniform, Shen Wanjun trembled all over, his eyes filled with despair.

"It's you..."

Lin Wan walked up to him, looking down at him from above with cold eyes.

"Shen Wanjun, who exactly was the person outside the city who crippled your Cultivation?"

Shen Wanjun swallowed hard, his voice trembling, and the movement aggravated the injury on his chest, causing him to gasp in pain.

"I... I don't know who he is."

"You don't know?" Lin Wan's eyes turned cold, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "You had your entire Meridians crippled without even knowing who the other party was?"

"He... he was too fast!" Shen Wanjun recalled the scene, his eyes filled with fear as if he were seeing that terrifying figure waving his hand again. "I only saw a grey-clad back; it was a very young man."

"A young man?" Lin Wan frowned slightly.

"Yes! And his Physical Body was terrifying!" Shen Wanjun said urgently, fearing Lin Wan wouldn't believe him. "My full-strength strike didn't even break his Protective Aura. He must have cultivated some kind of top-tier hard-body Cultivation Technique!"

Lin Wan fell into deep thought.

A young man.

A top-tier hard-body Cultivation Technique.

There were only a handful of experts in the capital who met these two conditions, which unconsciously made her think of one person.

"Why is it related to him again?"

Lin Wan frowned, thinking for a long time.

In her youth, she had stayed in her Family for Cultivation and ignored worldly affairs. Although she had achieved success in her Cultivation after growing up, she really didn't know the capital as well as some old slippery fish who had been around for a long time.

Suddenly, Lin Wan's peripheral vision caught Chen Ran standing to the side, and she suddenly spoke:

"Chen Ran, you have been in the Celestial Prison for years and are well-informed."

"Do you think there is any young expert near this capital who fits these characteristics?"

Chen Ran's expression was a bit strange; she had asked the right person.

He touched his nose and coughed lightly.

"Constable Lin, I am just a jailer; what would I know about Jianghu experts?"

"However..." Chen Ran paused, putting on a look of trying hard to think. "I once heard prisoners in the prison bragging that the Iron Bone Gang in the west of the city and the Diamond Sect outside the city both have extremely powerful hard-body Cultivation Techniques."

"I heard that their True Disciples are all young and have trained to be invulnerable to blades and spears, capable of tearing tigers and leopards apart with their bare hands."

Lin Wan's eyes lit up.

The Iron Bone Gang.

The Diamond Sect.

These two Schools were indeed famous for their hard-body Cultivation Techniques, and they acted domineeringly, with their Disciples often active near the capital.

"Makes sense." Lin Wan nodded, a flash of brilliance in her eyes. "These two Schools are indeed suspicious. I will have people investigate."

She took a deep look at Chen Ran.

This kid, although greedy for money and afraid of death, was indeed smart and could always provide some unexpected clues.

Chen Ran kept his head down, focused on his nose and heart.

He breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

Investigate then.

Go investigate the Iron Bone Gang and the Diamond Sect slowly.

It would be best to stir up the water in the capital even more and not bother him.

Lin Wan didn't interrogate for long before withdrawing; Shen Wanjun's body was too severely injured to withstand continuous interrogation.

That he could still hang on to his life now was entirely due to his previous physical condition supporting him.

As she was leaving, Chen Ran walked up to the young woman and said in a low voice:

"Constable Lin, I remembered something else. When I was interrogating him earlier, I heard he came for the legendary divine skill within the capital..."

"Legendary divine skill... I will take note of it." Lin Wan pondered slightly, then instructed: "If you have any other clues later, report them to me immediately."

Chen Ran nodded slightly and replied: "Okay."

A few days later.

The last day of the execution.

The sky was overcast, with fine snowflakes drifting.

Heads rolled, blood stained the bluestone slabs of the execution ground, and a thick smell of blood permeated the air.

Chen Ran stood on the periphery of the crowd, wearing thick cotton clothes, hands tucked into his sleeves, watching the corpses being dragged away.

[Participated in the execution of a serious criminal, gained 1 year of Cultivation.]

[Participated in the execution of a serious criminal, gained 1 year of Cultivation.]

...

Lines of illusory text appeared before his eyes.

Chen Ran's mouth curled up slightly.

The remaining members of the Official Silver Case had also been settled over the past few days, and combined with the fixed daily earnings from clocking in at the Celestial Prison, his total Cultivation had accumulated to 110 years.

Deep in the night.

Inside the duty room of the Cell Block D of the Celestial Prison, the charcoal brazier made a slight crackling sound.

Chen Ran sat cross-legged on the wooden bed, eyes closed.

Recently, while Cultivating, he discovered a special aspect.

The 1 year of Cultivation he gained, besides being converted into ordinary Internal Energy and True Qi, could also be converted into Martial Dao practice experience.

That is to say, every time he practiced a Cultivation Technique, it was equivalent to a year of bitter practice for an ordinary person.

This speed was extremely fast and could quickly improve his combat power.

In this world, martial arts are extremely important.

Having only a Realm without combat martial arts is useless.

Previously, it was rumored in the capital that a high-ranking elderly Martial Artist, relying on his Realm to bully others, had committed many evil deeds, until one day he was killed by a young man who was a whole Realm behind him.

That young man became famous in Jianghu and was eventually recruited by the imperial court, known as the Marquis of Martial Might...

Killing an enemy across Realms, becoming famous in one battle!

This news had circulated in the capital for several years and still influences many Martial Artists to this day.

Chen Ran circulated the Glazed Golden Body Art.

Pale golden True Qi coursed through his limbs and bones, constantly refining his skin, flesh, and Meridians.

At the same time, memories appeared in his mind.

In the memories, he repeated a movement day after day, year after year.

Sometimes standing, sometimes lying down, striking various peculiar martial arts poses...

Meanwhile, his skin surface took on a metallic luster, and in the dim light, he looked like an Arhat cast in bronze and iron.

Click.

A soft sound came from within his body, as if some kind of shackle had been broken.

Chen Ran opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

"As expected of a top-tier hard-body Cultivation Technique; even after investing the effect of ten years of an ordinary person's training, I've only just barely reached Minor Achievement."

He clenched his fist, feeling the explosive power within his body.

However, even the Minor Achievement of the Glazed Golden Body Art brought him extremely powerful buffs.

His strength had almost tripled, and his defense far exceeded that of Martial Artists of the same Realm.

Exterior like glaze, interior like a golden body; Cultivate to Major Achievement, and one can attain the Vajra Indestructible Body...

Chen Ran quietly felt the changes in his body and muttered to himself:

"Almost there. At this rate, it will only take a little over a month to Cultivate this Cultivation Technique to Major Achievement."