56: Chapter 56 Practicing this technique would be tantamount to betraying the party.

After nightfall, a chill surged through the prison, and even most of the prisoners had fallen into a deep sleep.

Chen Ran carried a food box, his footsteps light and steady as he walked on the bluestone floor, slowly heading toward the depths of the prison.

He stopped in front of Jiang Mengli's cell; usually, he was the only one in charge here.

Guarding the Saintess of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult was a hot potato that no one wanted to take over.

If any mistake happened with this Saintess, regardless of the outcome, the Red Lotus Demonic Cult would surely retaliate like madmen.

Therefore, the people of the Demon Suppression Division dared not do it themselves and could only arrange for jailers to supervise.

At this moment.

This Red Lotus Witch was sitting cross-legged on a pile of hay, with dark red True Qi faintly circulating around her body.

Although her cultivation had been sealed, after this period of recovery, Chen Ran guessed that this Saintess of the Demonic Cult had probably regained quite a bit of her strength.

Chen Ran stood outside the iron bars, watching quietly for a while.

Following his Breakthrough to the fifth grade, especially after mastering the Blood Transformation Great Art, his perception of the quality of True Qi had become exceptionally keen.

"This Cultivation Technique is actually much purer than I imagined," Chen Ran suddenly spoke.

Jiang Mengli opened her eyes, the hint of red light in the depths of her eyes quickly fading away.

She looked at Chen Ran outside the bars, a playful arc curling at the corners of her mouth:

"Lord Chen also understands Cultivation Techniques? To outsiders, the Karmic Fire Scripture is merely violent and flammable, but only those who have truly practiced it know that it is the strength of refining steel a hundred times."

Chen Ran nodded slightly.

He had recently invested a few years of power into this Cultivation Technique, and after cultivating it, he indeed felt the profoundness of this technique; the outward violence was merely an appearance, while the quality of the True Qi inside was extremely high, far exceeding ordinary Cultivation Techniques several times over.

"When practiced to the depths, the True Qi is like silk, and the Karmic Fire is restrained," Chen Ran said casually, his right hand inadvertently resting on the iron bars.

His fingertips moved slightly.

A wisp of extremely subtle yet condensed-to-the-extreme dark red True Qi flashed and vanished between his fingers.

That True Qi did not emit any heat, yet it caused the surrounding air to distort slightly.

Jiang Mengli's originally casual sitting posture instantly became rigid, and she stared tightly at the fingers Chen Ran had retracted.

"Karmic Fire into silk..."

Jiang Mengli's voice carried a hint of indescribable shock.

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging waves in her heart.

As the Saintess of the Red Lotus Demonic Cult, she knew too well what this meant.

This level of precise control was the mark of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture reaching the Minor Achievement Realm.

But how long had Chen Ran possessed the Cultivation Technique?

At most, only a few months.

Such a rate of progress had never been heard of, even among the top Geniuses of the previous dynasty's imperial clan.

"Lord Chen, you have truly given me a huge surprise," Jiang Mengli looked at Chen Ran again.

"To reach Minor Achievement in a few months, with this talent, staying in this gloomy prison as a jailer is truly a waste of talent."

She stood up and walked slowly to the bars, her stunningly beautiful face appearing somewhat bewitching under the dim light.

"Lord Chen, do you know the true origin of this Cultivation Technique?"

Chen Ran raised an eyebrow but did not speak.

"It is a secret transmission that only the Imperial Clan of the previous Great Zhou dynasty could Cultivate."

Jiang Mengli lowered her voice: "Since the fall of Great Zhou, this Cultivation Technique has become taboo. In this world, apart from my Red Lotus Demonic Cult, it can be found nowhere else."

"Once the Great Wei Court discovers you have practiced this Cultivation Technique, you will be a rebel, a grave crime punishable by extermination of the nine clans."

She stretched out her slender fingers, gently resting them on the iron bars, and leaned forward: "Lord Chen, you are already on the boat. Why not join my cult? Then you can go anywhere in the world; why stay in this tiny place?"

Chen Ran frowned.

He did not like this feeling of being threatened, and he disliked trouble even more.

"I have heard that the Red Lotus Demonic Cult has been suppressed miserably by the Demon Suppression Division, and besides, they don't know your true secrets, right?"

"If they knew your identity, I fear the Court's attitude towards the Red Lotus Demonic Cult would not be so peaceful..."

Chen Ran's tone was flat, directly rejecting the invitation.

Jiang Mengli was slightly stunned, seemingly not having expected this answer, and her expression became somewhat complex.

However, she smiled inexplicably, her voice sounding ghostly.

"Time is running out; are you sure you won't reconsider?"

Chen Ran's heart stirred; he sensed something was wrong and was just about to speak.

Suddenly.

"Boom—!!!"

A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering loud noise came from the outer perimeter of the prison.

The entire Cell Block D shook violently, and dust fell from the ceiling in rustling streams.

...

...

Outside the prison.

The night was like ink, and the cold wind was mixed with a hint of murderous intent.

Outside the main gate of the prison, two huge stone lions appeared exceptionally ferocious under the reflection of the torches.

Eight elite officers of the Demon Suppression Division stood with their hands on their sabers, scanning their surroundings vigilantly.

Suddenly, a strange, exotic fragrance drifted in with the wind.

"What is that smell?" One officer sniffed, his expression changing drastically, "Not good, there is poison! Enemy attack—"

Before his words could finish, dozens of scarlet saber lights suddenly flared in the darkness.

Dozens of masked figures dressed in red rushed out from the shadows like ghosts. Their movements were uniform, ruthless, and merciless.

"Puchi!"

The sound of sharp blades cutting through flesh rang out one after another.

The officer who had spoken first didn't even have time to draw the long saber at his waist before his throat was pierced by a barbed scimitar.

Fresh blood sprayed out, splattering onto the cold stone lions.

In just a few breaths, eight elite Demon Suppression Division officers fell into a pool of blood, unable to even send out a distress signal.

The leading man walked slowly out of the darkness.

He wore a ferocious Red Lotus mask, was draped in a black cloak, and carried a dripping long saber in his hand. He looked coldly at the corpses on the ground before turning his gaze to the black iron gate ahead, which was covered in suppression runes.

"Protector, the outer sentries have all been cleared," a red-clad cultist knelt on one knee and reported in a low voice.

The Red Lotus Protector nodded slightly, his eyes beneath the mask flickering with icy killing intent.

"Do it."

He spat out the two words coldly.

Several cultists proficient in Formations quickly stepped forward and precisely placed several specially made 'Thunder-shaking Bombs' on the Formation nodes of the prison gate.

"Retreat!"

Following a low shout, everyone quickly withdrew.

"Boom—!!!"

Violent flames shot into the sky, tearing through the night sky of the capital.

The deafening explosion seemed as if it would flip the entire ground over.

That black iron gate, known as unbreakable and having suppressed countless prisoners, was torn open by a huge gap in the violent explosion.

Thick chunks of iron flew everywhere, smashing the surrounding stone walls.

The shrill alarm sounded instantly throughout the entire Demon Suppression Division.

"Kill your way in, welcome the Saintess back to the cult!" The Red Lotus Protector waved his long saber and shouted sternly.

"Kill!"

Dozens of red-clad cultists, like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, flooded into the prison through the gap.

Inside the prison, it was in complete chaos.

The gate was breached, and the core Formation maintaining the prison's operation instantly failed for the most part.

With a hum, Chen Ran noticed that the chain runes on Jiang Mengli's body had dimmed significantly.

This meant that the Formation patterns sealing her cultivation were about to fail.

"Roar—!"

"The gate is broken! Break out!"

The prisoners felt the disappearance of the Formation and instantly fell into madness.

They slammed desperately against the iron bars, and roars echoed one after another.

Chen Ran stood in the center of the corridor, his brows locked tightly.

In his perception, several extremely terrifying auras were clashing violently above.

Chen Ran turned around, looking deeply at the red-clad woman behind him, and spoke indifferently:

"Young Miss Jiang, it seems your people have come to pick you up."